On May 8, the entire democratic world honors the memory of those who bravely fought against Nazism during the Second World War and gave their lives for peace, prosperity, and security in the world. Millions of lost lives, mutilated destinies, tortured people, and millions of reasons to say to evil: never again!

On the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania Petro Beshta together with the Vice Minister of Defense of Lithuania Žilvinas Tomkus took part in the ceremony of laying flowers at the monument to Taras Shevchenko in the city of Vilnius. The ceremony honoring the memory of the victims of the Second World War was held with the participation of employees of the Embassy of Ukraine in Lithuania, the Ukrainian community, students and teachers of Ukrainian schools in Vilnius, as well as guests and residents of Lithuania.

Ukrainians on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition made a significant contribution to the victory over Nazism. The price of this contribution is extraordinary losses during the years 1939–1945 among Ukrainians and other peoples who lived on the territory of Ukraine. More than eight million people died then. Therefore, we know well the price of war.

The Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation symbolizes not the triumph of the victors over the vanquished, but a warning - dictators always seek to satisfy their imperial ambitions by armed means, ultimatums, aggression, and annexation. The most important result of the war should not be the cult of victory, but the ability to value peace, and categorically and uncompromisingly defend it by all reasonable means.

Our struggle has been going on every day since 2014, and we will win, because we are defending our homeland, defending our right to freely choose our future. For us, this is a war for freedom, civilization, democracy, and European values against the imperial ambitions of an insidious aggressive criminal neighbour.