U.S. President George W. Bush said he will remind Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Soviet occupation of the Baltics when they meet in Moscow for the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. In excerpts of an interview to be broadcast Thursday, Bush told Lithuanian state television that he will stress to the Russian leader that the end of the war did not bring freedom for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. "Yes, of course I'll remind him of that," Bush said, adding that he told Putin during their last meeting in Slovakia that the end of World War II was not a day of celebration for the Baltics. The U.S. president is to visit Latvia on Friday ahead of his trip to Moscow. Lithuanian state television said Bush praised Lithuania for its support in bringing Ukraine on a path to democracy and said he expects the Baltic country to help ensure free elections in neighboring Belarus. Bush spoke to television networks from the three Baltic countries on Wednesday in Washington. The full interviews were scheduled to be aired later Thursday.
