60th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory

The 60th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany provides an opportunity to examine the evolving relationship between Russia and Central and East European states. In an effort to foster dialogue on the issue, CSIS hosted a May 3 event featuring Radek Sikorski of the American Enterprise Institute, Richard Krickus of Mary Washington College, Janusz Bugajski, director of the CSIS East Europe Project, and Keith Smith, CSIS senior associate. The panelists asserted that Russia must recognize the crimes perpetrated by the Soviet regime during and after World War II and abandon its imperial ambitions in order to normalize relations with its neighbors and foster democracy.