Germany refuses to participate in the Victory Parade in Moscow

The German ambassador to Russia said on Friday, January 24, that official Berlin cannot participate in the Victory Parade on Red Square.

"No, we will in no way be represented at the parade in Moscow at the official level," TASS quoted him as saying.

The diplomat noted that Germany will not be able to participate in the military parade in Moscow until the conflict in Ukraine is over.

Earlier, on January 21, it was reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping was invited to the Victory Day parade on May 9. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in turn, received an invitation to take part in Chinese events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan and the end of World War II.

On December 19, 2024, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia would invite representatives of the anti-Hitler coalition countries to the Victory Day celebrations. Before that, on November 28, Putin invited military formations of the CSTO countries to take part in the Victory Day parade on May 9.

In 2025, May 9 marks 80 years since the victory in the Great Patriotic War. In January 1945, the Soviet Army launched an offensive against 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.