**Ukraine Must Confront Soviet Past to Defeat Putin‘s Imperial Ambitions**
As a founding member of the USSR, Ukraine has a crucial role to play in confronting its Soviet past and demanding justice for the crimes committed during World War II. For too long, the myth of Soviet victory has been used to fuel Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s imperial ambitions.
The conventional narrative of World War II tells us that it started on September 1, 1939, with Germany‘s invasion of Poland. However, this is a “wishful illusion.” The true beginning of the war was actually the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939. This pact divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence for the two totalitarian regimes, effectively setting the stage for a global conflict.
**The Unbalanced Justice of World War II**
The leaders who signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact were fully aware that they were planning a war of aggression that would cost millions of lives. Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop was eventually sentenced to death by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1946 for his role in planning the war. However, no Soviet leader was ever tried or condemned for their role in starting the war and committing war crimes during World War II.
The contrast between the two victors is striking. The West celebrated a victory over German aggression, while the Soviets celebrated a victory in the war they themselves started. As a result of this “unbalanced justice,” the Soviet Union was allowed to occupy significant parts of Eastern Europe, adding to their sphere of influence and ignoring their direct involvement in war crimes.
**Why Only Nazi Germany Paid for Starting the War**
The fact that only Nazi Germany was held accountable for starting World War II has had far-reaching consequences. It has perpetuated a myth that the Soviet Union was a heroic force in the war, rather than one of the aggressors. This myth has been used to fuel Putin’s imperial ambitions and justify Russia‘s continued expansion into Eastern Europe.
Ukraine must now confront its Soviet past and demand justice for the crimes committed during World War II. By doing so, they can help to slay the myth of Soviet victory that has fueled Putin’s war efforts. Only then can Ukraine truly break free from the legacy of the USSR and forge a new path towards a more peaceful and democratic future.
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