Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “The feat of the people to live forever” (April 23, 2025, Minsk)

Dear participants of the conference, 
Dear guests,

First of all, I would like to congratulate the team of the Belarusian State Museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War for its brilliant implementation of the idea of today’s international forum, which brought together representatives from different countries. This is the first time we have held such an event in our country. I hope that such a format of the meeting between museums and leading international historians in Minsk will become a good tradition. 

The Conference is an important element in preservation the memory of the events and consequences of the largest, most destructive war in human history.

Determined to prevent similar horrors of the Second World War in the future, countries have founded the United Nations, which this year celebrates its 80th anniversary.

It brings me great pride to point out that Belarus, despite not being a sovereign state at that time, became a founding country of the United Nations and signed the Organization's Charter.

The architecture of international law was shaped by countries, leading to a common understanding and interpretation of the main global challenges and threats.

All of this was based on a consensus of opinions about the Second World War, its causes, and the role of individual states in it.

Unfortunately, over the years, some powers, unhappy with the outcome of World War II, primarily those on the side of Hitler's Germany, began to blur the historical truth and reinterpret the international processes that took place before and during World War II. Their goal is obvious. They want to justify the aggression and  exonerate the traitors and accomplices, so that their inhumane deeds, atrocities against the civilian population are forgotten, and their then-hatched plans become a reality. Hence their ancestors would turn from executioners into heroes.

What about today?

Unfortunately, the world has lost that common unity which helped to destroy the Berlin wall, created favourable preconditions for the development of constructive cooperation between the West and the East, for decades, it has been protecting and keeping safe us all from the outbreak of new bloody conflicts.

The resurgence of neo-fascism is a fashionable trend in Europe, which advances under the guise of freedom of opinion.

In front of the eyes of veterans in Europe, monuments once built in their honor are being destroyed. How can these veterans explain what is happening to their children and grandchildren? Had they once liberated Europe together, had they seen their comrades die before their eyes for the free future of this very Europe? Today, the liberation warriors are being replaced by so-called new «freedom and independence fighters» with their own sentiments and vigilante. Europe encourages marches in honour of the far-right nationalists, and pays tribute to the memory of collaborators and outright traitors. Under this guise, Europe is raising its children in the spirit of historical lies. All this cannot but cause a strong protest of every every honest person, the key word being honest. 

In fighting the cleansing of the past, Europe has reached the absurd - even the mere visit to the monuments of the countries of the former Soviet Union that liberated this very Europe is forbidden. The locals who are in a rush to forget who granted them the right to live. Consider, - the children and grandchildren of the dead cannot come and kneel before their heroic grandfathers and great-grandfathers.

So where are human rights, freedom of movement? Where is the proverbial democracy? The answer is obvious - it’s different!

Meanwhile, “enlightened” Europe has begun to arm itself at an increased rate, and in volumes disproportionate even to the most obvious threats. European officials are spending money for this not from their own savings, but withdrawing money from the state budget, which is intended to support the most vulnerable segments of the population, for medicine, education and the socio-economic sphere.

Do not entertain any illusions about weapons. They are not made to remain as weapons of deterrence. Sooner or later, you will have to face him in real life. It is inevitable that it will break out again.

The fair question is, what will Europe leave for its descendants? Rusty tanks and mine detectors to search for mines, the data on which, as always, is lost?

Belarus is a peace-loving state, which has always been committed to inter-religious and inter-national tolerance. We never threatened anyone or befriended anyone.

Our answer:

First. To act in the interests of our state and to shape a sustainable future so that we have something to pass on to our children, as our President Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko says.

Second. To preserve the historical truth for posterity. This is our sacred duty and moral obligation. We know for sure that the truth cannot be destroyed neither by erected border fences or air embargoes, nor by illegal sanctions, nor by fake news, nor by trade wars!

Third. To keep the peace at all costs, in memory of our ancestors-liberators. As, it turned out, peace is not a mere given.

Fourth. Increase collective efforts in the international arena to prevent the glorification of neo-Nazism and the whitewashing of Nazi criminals and their followers.

I wish the International Conference success.

Thank you for your attention.