EU strongly advices candidate states not to celebrate WW2 triumph in Moscow
(MENAFN) The European Union has advised countries seeking to join the bloc not to participate in Russia’s 80th-anniversary celebrations of its victory in World War II. EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that attending the May 9 celebrations, particularly the large military parade in Moscow, would be inappropriate due to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany, is one of Russia’s most significant holidays, marked by a military parade on Red Square and a moment of silence to honor the millions of Soviet lives lost during the war. However, EU officials have argued that participating in these events would send the wrong message given the current conflict in Ukraine.
Kallas, speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, warned that any involvement in the May 9th parades would not be well-received by the European Union, as Russia is engaged in a full-scale war in Europe. She also made it clear that EU candidate nations should refrain from attending the Moscow celebrations. Instead, Kallas encouraged EU leaders to visit Kyiv to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.
Currently, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is the only EU leader who has confirmed plans to attend the Moscow event. He stated that, as Prime Minister of Slovakia, he felt a strong obligation to participate in the official ceremonies honoring the victory over fascism. The leaders of Serbia and Armenia, both EU candidate countries, have also indicated their intention to attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Moscow on May 9 as well.
Earlier reports indicated that Germany had advised its institutions not to invite Russian or Belarusian officials to WWII commemorations, a move that Moscow has condemned as an "insult" to the memory of the victims of Nazism and fallen Soviet soldiers.
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