Moscow (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping for participating in the celebrations marking 80 years since the “sacred” victory over Adolf Hitler in World War II. He stated that both countries currently unite against “neo-Nazism,” Reuters reported.
Xi’s attendance at the anniversary celebrations this week significantly bolsters the Kremlin leader, who has depicted his war in Ukraine as a fight against contemporary Nazis from the outset. On Friday, Chinese troops will participate in the military parade held at Red Square, which is the highlight of the commemorations.
Despite that, Ukraine and its allies denounce it as a grotesque falsehood, accusing Moscow of staging an imperial invasion.
How does Putin link the Ukraine war to neo-Nazism?
“The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance,” Putin told Xi on Thursday. “Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.”
How does Xi portray its alliance with Moscow?
Xi emphasised that the two nations, being world powers and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, will collaborate to confront “unilateralism and bullying,” a pointed reference to the United States.
Chinese President said they would “jointly promote the correct view of the history of World War Two, safeguard the authority and status of the United Nations, resolutely defend the rights and interests of China, Russia and the vast majority of developing countries, and work together to promote an equal, orderly, multipolar, and inclusive economic globalisation”.
The two men met in one of the Kremlin’s grandest halls, walking toward each other along a red carpet, and shook hands for the cameras. They both addressed each other as “dear friend.”
How has Ukraine responded to Putin’s ceasefire proposal?
On the other hand, Last week, Putin announced a unilateral three-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine, starting Thursday. Ukraine has not agreed to participate, labelling it a tactic by Putin to project a desire to end the war. Instead, Ukraine expressed its readiness for a ceasefire of at least 30 days.
How has U.S. pressure shaped peace negotiations recently?
Both nations face pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to finalise a peace agreement, with Washington having consistently warned that it will abandon negotiations unless significant progress is evident.
How have both countries struck each other?
Moreover, during earlier days this week, the skies over Moscow remained tranquil on Thursday. Given the presence of numerous foreign leaders, any assault during the May 9 festivities could humiliate Putin and prompt a strong retaliation from Moscow, experts say.
A military spokesperson from Ukraine informed Reuters that Russian forces persisted in their attacks across various areas of the eastern front, despite the ceasefire. The air force reported that Russian planes executed three strikes using guided bombs in the northern Sumy region. However, they also noted that there had been no sightings of Russian missiles or drones in Ukrainian airspace since the ceasefire initiated by the Kremlin began.
