MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The role the Soviet Union played in the defeat of Nazism during World War II is largely underestimated, Co-president of International Peace Bureau (IPB) Reiner Braun told Sputnik on Tuesday.
According to the latest ICM Research poll conducted exclusively for Sputnik, 13 percent of Europeans believe the Soviet Army played a key role in liberating Europe from Nazism, while a majority, 43 percent, said the United States Army contributed the most to the WWII victory.
"I do believe that the Russian role in the Victory is dramatically underestimated," Braun said, adding that the right place for EU leaders to be on May 9 is Moscow, marking the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II.
"I think to be at the great spot you need to go to Moscow on that day," Braun said.
Alongside a few apparent boycotts of the Moscow victory parade, there have been several controversial statements made by a handful of leaders that diminish or reject the Soviet Union's role in the WWII victory.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that any attempts to revise Russia's contribution to the victory in the fight against Nazism during World War II should be interpreted as a glorification of Nazi crimes. The Russian leader vowed to defend Russia's role in the WWII victory over Nazism.
