Representatives of American delegation lay flowers at Victory Monument in Minsk

On July 3, members of the American delegation laid flowers at the obelisk monument on Victory Square in Minsk.

Among our guests from the United States are descendants of those who fought against Nazi Germany during the Great Patriotic War. They speak with a touch of bitterness about how few in the U.S. are aware of the true events of that war and the heroic victory of the Soviet people.

"Everyone receives an education, but in school, they do not study World War II. My father fought from the very first day. So, if you told my father—may God rest his soul—what is happening now, he wouldn't believe it," shared Mark Schneider, a member of the Democratic Party, lawyer, and assistant to the governor of Illinois, USA. "We are proud of our fathers, we are proud of our grandfathers."

Viktor Bondarenko, member of the Democratic Party and bishop (USA):

"I am a Christian priest, and I have a somewhat different perspective. We are not fighting against flesh and blood; our enemies are not people. There are certain forces in the world—spiritual forces—that seek to destroy humanity. They absolutely hate peace. And, you know, they are trying to gain the upper hand. Eighty years ago, they failed. It’s very interesting that Nazi soldiers had belt buckles inscribed with 'God is with us,' but it turned out that God was not with them, but with the people of the Soviet Union."

The American delegation, consisting of politicians, businessmen, and public figures, will remain in Belarus for several more days. Some of them are visiting our country for the first time and have been pleasantly surprised by how much the stereotypes prevalent in the U.S. and the West about our nation differ from the reality of Belarus. The first thing our guests noticed was the cleanliness of the streets and the cheerful, friendly people.