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elbe river
American and Russian troops greet each other along the Elbe River in Germany.

Trump and Putin issue statement on Elbe River meeting of armies in WWII

Seventy-five years after American and Soviet troops met on the Elbe River in Germany on their way to defeat Nazi Germany, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement on Saturday commemorating the event.

The statement said it was an example of how both nations can cooperate to combat common foes and problems facing humanity.

The Wall Street Journal reported that, because of constant media and Democrat criticism, the decision to issue the commemoration could be misinterpreted.

READ: World War II sacrifice subject of film

The joint statement marked the anniversary of the April 25, 1945, meeting on a bridge over the Elbe River in Germany of Soviet soldiers advancing from the east and American troops moving from the West.

“This event heralded the decisive defeat of the Nazi regime,” the statement said.

“The meeting on the Elbe represented a culmination of tremendous efforts by the many countries and peoples that joined forces under the framework of the United Nations Declaration of 1942. This common struggle required enormous sacrifice by millions of soldiers, sailors, and citizens in multiple theaters of war.

“We also recognize the contributions from millions of men and women on the home front, who forged vast quantities of war materials for use around the world.  Workers and manufacturers played a crucial role in supplying the allied forces with the tools necessary for victory.

“The ‘Spirit of the Elbe’ is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust, and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause,” the statement continued.

The Journal said the last joint statement marking the Elbe River bridge link-up was issued in 2010, when the Obama administration was seeking improved relations with Moscow.

Trump had hoped to travel to Moscow to mark the anniversary as part of his efforts to promote cooperation with Moscow and diffuse tensions between he two nuclear superpowers.

Democrats had launched investigations over alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Two years of Democrat investigations culminated in the Mueller report in which Trump and his entire campaign were exonerated with not a single person involved in any aspect of the campaign or the administration being found guilty of any collusion.

Democrats are now charging Russia is interfering in the 2020 election but have not provided any evidence for the new allegations

–Metro Voice and wire services

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