Foreign Minister Lavrov: I am honored to officiate today the bestowal ceremony of high Russian awards on the antifascist veterans. We thus wanted to note your contribution to the victory over Nazism, your input into the overall effort to establish durable and lasting peace in Europe. In addition, in the postwar years, you made another equally important and significant contribution to the reconciliation of the Russian and German peoples, to the establishment of relations of a true partnership and friendship between us. A portion of your efforts is present in the current state of Russian-German relations, which are characterized by a strategic partnership.

Like most of my colleagues, I bow before you. You are wonderful people. You never betrayed your convictions, whether in times of war, in times of the GDR or now that Germany is reunited. You never betrayed historical truth, memory or friends.

One of the famous people once said that it is not enough to win the war, it is also important to win the peace. You did it. So today, as I carry out the honorary assignment of the Russian leadership to present you with commemorative medals for the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, I simultaneously want to hand you Honorable Russian Foreign Ministry Badges for contributions to international cooperation.

I want to reiterate the huge gratitude to you for the good feelings that you invariably bear to both our country and our people, and wish you long life, good health and vigor.