Ukraine's President Zelenskyy issues a warning of potential Russian attacks on WWII Memorial sites scheduled for May 9th.
Fresh Take:
It's coming up on May 9th, and Moscow is gearing up for some major World War II commemorations, celebrating 80 years since its win over Nazi Germany. This year's festivities are expected to be quite the spectacle, with leaders from around 20 countries, including China's President Xi Jinping, accepting invitations to take part.
But amidst all the fanfare, there's a cloud hanging over these events. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has warned that Russia could stir up trouble during the commemorations, perhaps staging attacks and falsely blaming Ukraine. It's a worrying thought, considering thecurrent unrest between the two countries.
Zelensky insisted that Ukraine can't guarantee the safety of foreign representatives in Moscow, and urged caution from other nations. Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, slammed Zelensky's remarks as "a classic threat from an international terrorist."
The commemorations are causing quite a stir. The U.S. has made it clear it wants to see a lasting ceasefire, not just a temporary one for the event, and has hinted it might give up on peace talks if progress isn't made. Russia, on the other hand, views these commemorations as a chance to rally support for its military efforts in Ukraine.
In the lead-up to the events, there's a lot of speculation about who else might attend. It's been suggested that the U.S. could send a high-level representative, possibly even Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but this hasn't been officially confirmed yet.
All in all, this year's World War II commemorations in Moscow promise to be a powerful display of remembrance and pageantry, but also a tender spot for ongoing geopolitical tensions.
- Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has warned Interfax, expressing concern about potential war-and-conflicts during the upcoming World War II commemorations in Moscow, as he fears Russia might stage attacks and falsely blame Ukraine.
- Amidst the politics and general news surrounding the commemorations, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has criticized Zelensky's remarks, labeling them as a "classic threat from an international terrorist."
- With leaders from around 20 countries, including China's President Xi Jinping, expected to attend, the U.S. has expressed a desire for a lasting ceasefire instead of just a temporary one for the event, hinting it might abandon peace talks if progress isn't made.
- The commemorations also raise questions about attendance, with speculation suggesting that the U.S. could send a high-level representative, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but this hasn't been officially confirmed yet.
