Germany to snub celebration of WWII victory over Nazis – ambassador
Berlin will have no representation at Russia’s 80th-anniversary celebrations of the victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, Ambassador Alexander Lambsdorff told TASS on Friday. Germany “cannot take part” in the parade on Red Square due to the Ukraine conflict, he told the news agency. Moscow views Germany as an “unfriendly nation” contributing to a Western proxy war against Russia, in which Ukrainian troops serve as ‘cannon fodder’.
Russia has invited 19 “friendly” nations to contribute troops for a Victory Day parade in the heart of the capital, according to Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who serves as a deputy to President Vladimir Putin in the committee organizing the celebrations. Ten have confirmed their attendance, including seven former Soviet republics, Belousov reported last week. Officials have also hinted that North Korea could send troops.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has pledged to attend the celebration, expressing commitment to honoring the sacrifices of the Red Army and the Soviet people in defeating Axis powers during World War II.
Fico stands out among Western leaders in his position on the Ukraine conflict. He has described the US-led group of countries backing Kiev as as incapable of ending the hostilities and damaging to members of the EU.
He and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky have recently clashed over Kiev’s refusal to extend a natural gas transit agreement with Russia after it expired late last year. The decision seriously hurts EU members, including Slovakia, Fico has stated.
