BERLIN (WARNEWS) – A spokesperson for the German parliament announced on Thursday that they have excluded the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus from the guest list for a special session scheduled for May 8 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II in Europe.
This choice underscores unease in Germany regarding how to tackle Russia’s part in freeing Europe from the Nazis’ reign of terror during this anniversarial year, considering that President Vladimir Putin has leveraged World War II history to legitimize his attack on Ukraine.
In a statement addressing the decision, the Bundestag spokesman cited an evaluation conducted by the federal government which concluded that certain diplomats should not be invited, including those from the embassies of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
Delegates from various embassies will participate alongside German legislators at an event in the Bundestag’s main assembly hall. This gathering aims to mark both the conclusion of World War II and the cessation of Nazi Germany’s violent and genocidal activities across Europe.
The spokesperson stated that invitations were not extended to international guests.
On Wednesday, despite governmental warnings regarding Moscow’s attempts to “manipulate” events commemorating the 80th anniversary, Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev participated in a memorial ceremony in the eastern town of Seelow.
The ceremony commemorated the Battle of the Seelow Heights, one of the last major conflicts before the Soviet forces advanced towards Berlin and led to Germany’s surrender in May 1945. The battle resulted in at least 30,000 casualties among Soviet troops, making it one of their most grueling fights; this force included individuals from various backgrounds such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and more.
On Wednesday, Russia’s official RIA news agency reported that Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Germany’s proposal to exclude Russian and Belarusian diplomats from the commemorative events was seen as an affront by the “ideological successors and direct offshoots” of those involved in carrying out Hitler’s massacres. (The article has been updated to clarify the interpretation of the last statement in paragraph eight.)
(Reported by Miranda Murray, written by Rachel More, edited by Philippa Fletcher)
