Putin urged to promote the victory over Nazism in 1945 as a global value

The victory over Nazism in 1945 should be promoted as a common value for all mankind. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin at an informal meeting of heads of CIS member states on December 25.

He noted that all CIS countries remember and honor the feat of all peoples of the USSR.

"In the CIS 2025 is proclaimed the year of peace and unity in the fight against Nazism. <...> We should strive to preserve the historical truth about the events of those years, the memory of the cost of liberating the world from Nazism, promote the perception of the victory won in 1945 as a common value for all mankind," Putin said.

The president also said he expects the CIS leaders to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9, 2025.

The informal meeting of CIS leaders is being held at the Igora resort complex in the Leningrad Region. The summit of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will be held there on December 26.

Earlier, December 19, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia would invite representatives of the anti-Hitler coalition countries to celebrate Victory Day. On November 28, Putin invited military units of the CSTO countries to take part in the Victory Day parade on May 9 on Red Square in Moscow.

On October 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow intends to invite world leaders in addition to the heads of CIS countries to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War in 2025. He noted that everyone who wants to come to the celebration will be welcome in the capital.

Theinvitation was accepted, in particular, by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed with Fitzo to go to the Victory Parade in Moscow. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also expressed his hope to come to the holiday.

In 2025, May 9 marks 80 years since the victory in the Great Patriotic War. In January 1945, the USSR army launched an offensive on Berlin. As a result of the fighting at 00:43 Moscow time on May 9, the commanders-in-chief signed an act of unconditional surrender of Germany, which served as the end of the Great Patriotic War.