Published: January 23, 2025 3:21 pm
Author: RT
The US president has claimed that Moscow lost almost 60 million lives fighting Nazi German
Donald Trump’s claim that Russia lost almost 60 million people during World War II is inconsistent with historical research, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated during a regular press conference on Thursday.
The US president’s remark was made in a post urging Russia to negotiate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict or face severe economic consequences.
Moscow’s Defense Ministry considers the high estimate of 60 million lives lost from all causes related to the war highly exaggerated, with modern research putting the figure at roughly 26.6 million. Also, the Soviet Union included over a dozen modern states, including what is now Russia.
Trump’s post praised the Russian people for their sacrifices in defeating Nazi Germany and emphasized their contribution to helping the United States during the conflict. Peskov said the framing was debatable, considering that the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the fighting and suffered catastrophic losses in the war with the Third Reich.
“America indeed helped us, making a significant contribution,” he said. “But there is a nuance: America always makes money. It’s always about business for America.”
READ MORE: Trump admits love for Russian people and offers Putin ‘a deal’
Peskov was referring to the economic benefits that the US gained by giving government contracts to manufacturers of the products that were then sent to its European allies as assistance. The WWII-era Lend-Lease program was grounded in US self-interest, he claimed, just like the American military aid sent to Kiev during modern times. He stressed that Moscow has fully paid off its debt from the war.
Moderating his criticisms, Peskov said Russians are eternally grateful to the US for what it did for the Soviet Union during the Second World War and hope that “Americans and President Trump will share our joy during the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory.”
