On Friday, Russia held its annual Victory Day parade in Moscow while continuing its military operations in Ukraine. The event attracted several foreign leaders, among them Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Notably, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico represented the only presence from the European Union at the parade.
Fico has been openly critical of the European Union's stance on Ukraine and has disregarded warnings from the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas regarding his visit to Moscow. He stated, “nobody can order me where to go or not to go.”
Additionally, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić made his first trip to Russia since the onset of the invasion on Wednesday, despite the EU's caution that such a visit could impede Serbia's aspirations to join the bloc. The Kremlin announced that bilateral meetings would take place between Putin and both Fico and Vučić on Friday.
In the days leading up to the parade, Putin met with leaders from Cuba and Venezuela, culminating in the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The event was further attended by leaders from Vietnam, Burkina Faso, and various former Soviet nations.
Victory Day, celebrated on 9 May, represents Russia's most prominent holiday, characterized by a grand military parade in Red Square. This year's parade holds particular significance for President Vladimir Putin as he seeks to project an image of Russia as a key international player amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
During the parade, Putin commended Russian troops engaged in Ukraine, asserting, “we are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.” Following the ceremony, he interacted with Russian military officers and greeted a group of senior North Korean officers present at the event, sharing a hug with one officer.
Last month, Putin expressed gratitude to North Korea for its support alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, acknowledging their sacrifices as the North Korean government confirmed its deployment for the first time.
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Russia has been subject to numerous rounds of severe sanctions imposed by Western nations and has been categorized as a pariah state.
