Russia and Poland clash over history

The Russian State Duma's international affairs committee has condemned the Polish parliament's claims the USSR had broken international law in 1939.

On the 23rd of September, the Polish parliament adopted, without vote of debate, a resolution labeling USSR’s actions towards Poland during World War II as having traits of genocide.

The parliament’s official message reminds the Polish side of Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Poland, which commemorated the tragic events which started on the 1st of September 1939 and marked the beginning of World War II.

It also noted that historic events should not be adapted to particular political leanings and ignite nationalist and aggressive moods in a country’s population.

“The whole position on disputable pages of our common history was clearly stated by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, during his recent visit to Poland,” Igor Lyakin-Frolov, deputy head of Duma International Committee told RT.

“This visit itself demonstrated that our country intends to develop constructive and mutual steps for relations with Poland, including those concerning difficult historical questions,” he added.

Lyakin-Frolov also noted that matters of history should be left to historians, not politicians, and that the key aim should be to establish good neighborly relations between the two countries.

State Duma Deputy Andrei Klimov further explained Russia’s position on the issue:

“The Polish parliament’s resolution is not so much important for Poland as for Polish Russophobes who have no other arguments in their political life,” he stated.

“We are ready for round tables, seminars, for meetings of special groups so that we can explain our positions to each other, but let’s do it together, without any aggressive ideas,” he added.