Over 20 Leaders, Including Xi, Lula, Modi, to Attend Moscow Victory Day Parade; Serbia Sends Troops Despite EU Warning
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the courage of European leaders who plan to attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Putin stated that these leaders have 'much more courage' than those who issue threats to discourage attendance.
The European Union, through foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, has warned EU member states and candidate countries against participating in the Moscow parade due to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Kallas said attendance could have consequences for EU accession processes. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the only EU leader confirmed to attend, criticized Kallas's warning as 'disrespectful.'
Despite EU pressure, more than 20 leaders are expected, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Serbia will send a military unit to participate for the first time.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the EU of attempting to 'revive the ideology of Nazism' by discouraging attendance at the event. Lavrov asserted that Russia will not tolerate what he described as hostile rhetoric and actions from Brussels.
Ahead of the celebrations, Putin met with Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and Russian Patriarch Kirill at the Kremlin, joined by senior clergy from both churches, underscoring the close ties between Russia and Serbia.
🇷🇸🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Serbian Patriarch Porfiry.
The meeting was also attended by Patriarch Kirill of All Russia. https://t.co/HrmZAbjmp7
🇷🇸🇷🇺 Serbian Patriarch Porfirije gifted Putin an Easter Egg at the Kremlin, after accepting Patriarch Kirill's invite for Bright Week. https://t.co/P7TZQykLNr
Russia's Putin meets with head of Serbia's Orthodox Church in the Kremlin, Patriarch Porfirije, himself a de facto ambassador of Vucic's Belgrade regime. Another indicator that there is 0% chance of decoupling btw Serbia and Russia, despite Vucic's spin. https://t.co/qznGesWtpo
