Wikimedia Commons / WBJ

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was in Poland on Tuesday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of WWII.

During the visit he met with Polish counterpart Donald Tusk in the northern Polish city of Sopot to discuss matters ranging from the Katyń massacre to energy cooperation between the two countries.

Following a half hour conversation between the two leaders on the Sopot Pier, a joint press conference was held.

“It was not our task to determine the current version of history, but together we will arrive at the truth,” Polish Prime Minister Tusk said after the meeting.

“We will do everything to build relations on the principles of pragmatism and mutual respect,” Russian PM Vladimir Putin added.

The politicians' words alluded to the recent political uproar in Poland over the appearance of a number of Russian sources offering contentious perspectives on historical events. A recent TV documentary, for example, alleged that Poland may have signed a pact with Nazi Germany in the 1930s allowing for military cooperation against the Soviet Union.

The two leaders also spoke about the gas trade between the two countries. Poland is highly dependent on Russian gas. Although an agreement on the matter was not reached, Prime Minister Tusk assured that the two men had agreed that, “Gas may not be used for political gains, but for business interests.”

“There is a chance for the rapid signature of a gas contract,” Mr Tusk declared.