Key events
Putin speaks at Moscow parade
Russian president Vladimir Putin has just delivered a fairly brief (for his standards) speech at the Victory Day parade in Moscow.
He spoke of “joy and sadness, of pride and gratitude … to the generation that crushed the nazism at the cost of millions of lives.”
He also talked that Russia will “never agree” to events of the second world war “being distorted,” as he vowed to defend the dignity of the Russian army and always stand to “nazism, to Russophobia, to antisemitism.”
(Remember, Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine as fight against “neo-nazism.”)
And, indeed, he claimed that “the whole” of country backed the ongoing invasion on Ukraine.
“We are proud of their bravery and determination, of the fortitude that has always brought us only victory,” he said.
In a nod to Xi Jinping in the stands, Putin also made a pointed reference to not only Russian military successes and the contribution of the allied forces, but also “the courageous people of China” specifically.
Morning opening: Alternative futures of Europe
Jakub Krupa
A day after Victory in Europe Day celebrations in most of Europe, Russia stages a lavish – “biggest ever” – parade in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, and show off its military might amid its continuing invasion on Ukraine.
Russian president Vladimir Putin hosts a number of global leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite repeated criticism from Brussels, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico is also there, the only EU leader in attendance.
In stark contrast, the Moscow parade takes place on the same day as many European foreign ministers make a symbolic visit to Ukraine instead to announce another round of support for the country and the creation of a new International Tribunal for the Punishment of War Crimes and the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
Elsewhere, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Donald Tusk are set to sign a new treaty on “enhanced cooperation and friendship” – expected to include security and defence elements – and German’s new chancellor Friedrich Merz visits Brussels for talks with the EU and Nato, after being in Paris and Warsaw earlier this week.
The two sets of events – engaging two different blocks of countries – offer very contrasting visions of potential future for Europe and come at the time of particularly tense moment in the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, with more countries, particularly on the eastern flank of Nato, fearing similar attacks in the coming years.
We will bring you all the key updates throughout the day.
It’s Friday, 9 May 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
