World leaders gather in Moscow for WWII anniversary parade

• On 9 May, large Victory Day celebrations will take place in Moscow.
• Military formations from 13 countries, including China, will parade through the city.
• Among the invited guests are two leaders from Europe: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The anniversary celebrations will occur from 8 to 11 May, and the traditional annual military parade will march through Red Square in Moscow on 9 May, celebrated in Russia as Victory Day.

Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to the Russian leader Vladimir Putin, reported that in the parade—alongside Russian soldiers, military vehicles, and various types of weaponry—military formations from 13 countries, including China, will also appear.

Several American World War II veterans are also expected to participate in the event. It remains unknown whether representatives of the US government will attend, although the Kremlin has sent an invitation to the US ambassador in Russia.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Tuesday, urging other countries to honour the victims of World War II in a dignified manner and refrain from sending soldiers to the Moscow parade.

According to media reports, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are the only European leaders who have announced their participation in the Victory Day parade, which has met with strong criticism from the European Union.

In the case of Vučić, Brussels issued a warning, reminding that the Serbian president’s visit to Moscow violates EU membership criteria and could potentially harm Serbia’s accession process to the Union.