May 8 is not Memorial Day for the elderly. The war in Ukraine has made it all the more relevant.
This is an editorial. The chairman expresses Aftenposten's opinion. The Editor-in-Chief and Political Editor are responsible for the content.
As war bulletins pour in from Gaza and Ukraine, May 8th Liberation Day is here again – for the 80th time. Norwegians who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism between 1940 and 1945 will be wreathed and given memorial speeches at memorial stones across the country.
“Never again April 9th” will again be a focal point. Norway must be protected so that no foreigner harms the country, as the Germans did on April 9, 1940.
Over the years, the average age at these 8 May events has grown. World War II is far away. But the speeches in Moscow the next day were penetratingly intimate and shocking.
May 9 is “Victory Day” in Russia. Then, as President Vladimir Putin spoke, tanks rolled into Red Square. Russia played a major role in the defeat of Nazism in Europe. But crudely and deeply tragically, Putin says the war of aggression in Ukraine is an extension of this struggle.
The truth is different. Russia bombs and intimidates. When Ukraine experienced its “9”. April” in two acts. First with the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Then with a major invasion of the country on 24 February 2022.
Russia has intimidated its neighbors into action. Sweden and Finland join NATO. Norway is getting ready. Before the summer, Storting will adopt the most ambitious long-term military plan for the long term. Everything else would have been indefensible.
8 May 1945 was not the day “the parties came to their senses” and ended the war at the negotiating table. May 8 is the date of unconditional surrender. Germany first surrendered to the Western Powers in Reims, France on May 7, and then to the Russians in Berlin on May 8.
Ukraine and its accomplices should be allowed to enjoy a similar liberation as a dream: Russia's empty capitulation, defeated on the battlefield. It could have provided the necessary ventilation and created opportunities for building a new future for both Ukraine and Russia. The dream is upside down – Ukraine should lay down its arms and reveal Russia as the victor after a war of conquest.
Ultimately, a negotiated settlement is often reached. But on the way there, Norway, Europe and North America have little to do but support Ukraine militarily and politically.
The goal is not to beat or threaten Russia. The goal is to preserve Ukraine's independence and faith in the world order governed by the regime.
Happy May 8th to everyone – old people and especially the younger generation.
“Music geek. Coffee lover. Devoted food scholar. Web buff. Passionate internet guru.”
