COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER (France) — The United States will continue to provide “significant” support for Ukraine because of the legacy of D-Day soldiers. Their victory over the Nazis led to a new order in the world and a better peace, Army Gen. Mark Milley of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.
Milley stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine is a violation of the rules established by Allied nations after World War II. He spoke to The Associated Press from Omaha Beach, Normandy. On the 78th anniversary, Milley spoke about the D-Day invasion by Allied troops onto France’s beaches. This led to the fall of Nazi Germany.
He stressed that one of the fundamental rules of the “global rules-based system” is that countries cannot attack other nations with their military forces in acts or aggression, unless it’s an act for self-defense. But that’s not what happened in Ukraine. This is an unambiguous, open act of aggression.
It is widely believed that it undermines the rules for which these dead — at Omaha Beach and in the cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer – have died. They died for something. They died in order to have peace in our world,” Milley stated at Colleville-sur-Mer American Cemetery, where he spoke.
Milley explained that NATO nations, including Europe, have been supporting Ukraine with both lethal and nonlethal assistance to ensure that the rule set is supported and underwritten.
Dozens upon dozens of veterans, all now in their 90s, were participating in the poignant D-Day ceremonies Monday. They came from Canada, Britain, Canada, and the United States.
On June 6, 1944, Allied troops landed at French beaches code-named Omaha (Utah), Juno, Sword and Gold) and were accompanied by 7,000 boats. In that one day, 4,414 Allied soldiers died, 2501 of which were Americans. More than 5,000 soldiers were also wounded. Several thousand were either killed or injured on the German side. Hitler was defeated and World War II ended with the massive invasion.
Milley was asked if Ukraine receives enough support. He said that “there’s an extremely, very significant battle happening in the Donbas,” referring to Ukraine’s highly contested eastern industrial area bordering Russia. “But Kyiv (the capital), was protected and successfully defense against. The Russians had no choice but to move their forces south to the Donbas. We’ll watch how it plays out.”
He stated that he believed that the United States and its allies are supporting Ukraine in a substantial way and would continue to do so. He didn’t elaborate.
Milley spoke strongly about Ukraine during the ceremony at American Cemetery. Milley was accompanied by more than 20 World War II veterans as well as several thousand spectators.
Milley stated that while Kiev might be over 2,000 km from here, they are also experiencing the same horrors that the French suffered in World War II as a result of the Nazi invasion. “Let’s make sure that those who are not here today witness the end of a time when allies unite to defeat tyranny.”
Milley’s parents were soldiers in World War II, and his uncle served on D-Day with the Navy off Normandy’s Coast as part of Operation Overlord.
This generation of soldiers “fought for us all… and I share a special bond with them.” And I am very grateful for what they have done. Milley stated that we all, including ourselves today, need to continue the legacy they left behind.
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