The United States looks forward to cooperating with Russia and other former Soviet republics to resolve common challenges, Under Secretary of State David Hale said on Thursday during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Spirit of Elbe memorial at the Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th April, 2019) The United States looks forward to cooperating with Russia and other former Soviet republics to resolve common challenges, Under Secretary of State David Hale said on Thursday during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Spirit of Elbe memorial at the Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday.The memorial, located in the state of Virginia, was opened in 1995 to mark the 40th anniversary of the meeting between the US and Soviet militaries at the River Elbe in Germany, which was an important step towards ending World War II in Europe.
"We look forward to future opportunities to resolve the challenges that the world faces," Hale said.
The famous handshake between Soviet and American soldiers in the last days of World War II, the US diplomat added, held tremendous symbolic importance. Hale said the Soviet Army played an undeniably important role in defeating the Nazis.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov attended the ceremony and other Russian diplomats and compatriots living in the United States along with students from the school at the Russian Embassy.
On April 25, 1945, Soviet and US troops met at the River Elbe near the town of Torgau in Germany. The meeting was a key milestone in the process of ending World War II and came as US troops advanced from the west and Soviet troops advanced from the east, thus splitting Nazi Germany in two.
