Instruction to the Ambassador to Yugoslavia I.V. Sadchikov, May 27, 1945

Source: Tom 18

The Soviet government considers Tito's speech in Ljubljana to be a hostile attack against the Soviet Union and an act of ingratitude toward the USSR, which has rendered such enormous assistance to Yugoslavia.

We cannot regard this speech as a mere accident or slip of the tongue. The speech was evidently prepared in advance and reflects the position of the Yugoslav leadership.

Convey the following to Comrade Tito: if he once more permits himself such an attack against the Soviet Union, we will be forced to respond with criticism in the press and to disavow him.

Note

On May 27, 1945, Tito delivered a speech in Ljubljana in which he declared that Yugoslavia would not "pay others' bills," would not be "small change in anyone's pocket," and did not want to be "dragged into any policy of spheres of interest." This was said in connection with the Trieste crisis and was perceived by the Soviet leadership as directed against the USSR, since the Soviet Union had been actively supporting Yugoslavia's claim to Trieste in diplomatic negotiations with the Western powers. See also the exchange with Kardelj referenced in the Letter to Tito et al. of May 4, 1948.