Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia recall two facts that many forget about World War II

Wednesday, May 7, marks the 80th anniversary of Germany's surrender and the end of World War II in Europe.

The Nazi-Soviet joint parade of 1939 in Poland that some deny, in video
The 'liberation' of Poland by the USSR: an overview of the Soviet crimes and looting

Vladimir Putin's dictatorship is using this anniversary to clean up the image of the USSR, the Soviet dictatorship of which the Russian Federation is considered the legal heir, and also to reinforce its image as a fighter against Nazism, precisely at a time when Russia is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine under the false pretext of "denazifying" the invaded country.

Two facts that many ignore about the beginning and end of World War II

On Monday, four European countries issued statements against the Kremlin's propaganda campaign: Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. They have done so through their foreign ministries. The messages issued point out two facts that many forget about World War II:

• The war began with a pact between Germany and the USSR, the so-called Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, which included a secret protocol by which Hitler and Stalin divided up Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and the Romanian regions of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina. Poland was attacked jointly by Germans and Soviets in September 1939, with the support of Slovakia (which had a puppet regime of Hitler's dictatorship). Finland was attacked by the USSR in 1939, while Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the aforementioned regions of Romania were invaded in 1940.
• The USSR did not carry out a "liberation" of the countries from which it expelled the Germans, as Russia and many other sources have been repeating for decades. In reality, Stalin replaced the German occupation with a Soviet occupation. Only one country, Austria, was able to regain its democracy after this occupation, simply because the Soviets abandoned the eastern part of that country in 1955. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary remained under communist dictatorships imposed by Stalin. Furthermore, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia were annexed by the USSR. Ukraine, occupied and annexed by Bolshevik Russia in 1920, also returned to the hands of the Moscow dictatorship. It was not a "liberation": the Soviets replaced the Nazi dictatorship with communist dictatorships.

Latvia remembers the Soviet invasion of the Baltic countries

The first statement released today, at 6:05 CET, was published by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

80 Years Since the End of the Second World War - Important to Know:

On 23 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the so-called Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which included secret protocols. This agreement paved the way for further aggression in Europe.

In the summer of 1940, the Soviet Union occupied, annexed, and incorporated the Baltic countries - Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania - into the USSR. The occupation regime carried out widespread repression and deportations of the population.

In a few days, on 8 May, we will commemorate the victory over 20th-century Nazism.

We believe in Ukraine’s victory over the aggressor of the 21st century - Russia, the heir to the USSR’s rights and responsibilities.

Times may change, but some things must not - the aggressor must be stopped and held accountable.

The Latvian communiqué includes these two photos in which we see Stalin with Joachim von Ribbentrop, the ambassador of the Third Reich, who traveled to Moscow in August 1939 for the signing of the aforementioned pact:

«May 1945 did not mean the end of the war for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia»

At 7:54 CET, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a short message:

May 1945 did not mean the end of the war for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The USSR occupied us, used armed force to crush the efforts to restore the statehood, and attempted to distort history, hiding crimes.
Such "liberators" are called occupiers.

The Lithuanian message includes this video in English, responding to Russian propaganda claims about the end of World War II:

May 1945 did not mean the end of the war for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The USSR occupied us, used armed force to crush the efforts to restore the statehood, and attempted to distort history, hiding crimes.
Such "liberators" are called occupiers. #WordsMatter #HistoryMatters pic.twitter.com/Tq75ZL0TP7

— Lithuania MFA | #StandWithUkraine (@LithuaniaMFA) May 5, 2025

Estonia: «these so-called "liberators" were, in fact, occupiers»

This same video was released by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 3:24 PM CET, with the following message:

May 1945 did not mark the end of the war for Estonia, and these so-called "liberators" were, in fact, occupiers.

The USSR used military force to occupy our land and suppress our attempts to restore independence.

Ukraine commemorates the German-Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939

In addition, at 10:33 CET, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated:

World War II didn’t begin with a lone invasion – it began with a deal. In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Europe. Days later, they both invaded Poland from opposite sides. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact laid the groundwork for the horrors that unfolded.

The Ukrainian message includes this video in English, which includes footage of the signing of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact and the joint invasion of Poland by Germany and the USSR:

World War II didn’t begin with a lone invasion – it began with a deal. In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Europe. Days later, they both invaded Poland from opposite sides. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact laid the groundwork for the horrors that unfolded.… pic.twitter.com/rZwfolYvdJ

— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) May 5, 2025

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Foto coloreada por Mirek Szponar. Soldados alemanes y soviéticos en el desfile conjunto germanosoviético en Brześć Litewski para celebrar su victoria sobre los polacos en septiembre de 1939.