We put aside present inconvenience in relations occasioned by the invasions of Ukraine to join the Russian people in their celebration of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Belatedly, as this happy anniversary was yesterday. The Russian people take great pride in their role in the defeat of the Nazis and celebrate it extravagantly as President Putin did yesterday by visiting liberated Crimea. It is logical that the Russians should so celebrate for without them the war could not have been won.

The war could not have been won without Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's inexplicable decision making it a two-front war, relieving Britain. We congratulate the Russian people for the Nazi invasion.

The war could not have been won had the Wehrmacht not overrun Russia to such extent that its supply lines became hopelessly extended and it got marooned in St. Petersburg in the dead of winter. We congratulate the Russian people on their climate.

The Wehrmacht would not have gotten to St. Petersburg if not for the assistance of the Red Army being in a state of "unpreparedness." We give thanks to the Red Army for this assistance.

The Red Army would not have been unprepared for Barbarossa had Russian dictator-elect Josef Stalin not signed a non-aggression pact with Adolf Hitler and if Uncle Joe had not believed that Uncle Adolph's word was his bond. We congratulate the Russian people on this nuanced strategy of luring Hitler on. And in.

That's the logic. We congratulate the Russian people on their logic.