Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken out against what he described as European Union intimidation tactics aimed at discouraging participation in Russia’s upcoming Victory Day celebrations. As preparations ramp up for the 80th anniversary of the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II, the Kremlin has extended formal invitations to numerous world leaders – including those from the European Union and its candidate states. The EU’s warnings, however, have sparked a geopolitical row that reflects the continent’s deepening divisions over how to engage with Moscow amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During the All-Russian Municipal Service Award ceremony in Moscow on April 21, Putin was asked by journalists to respond to recent comments made by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The Estonian politician – herself a vocal critic of Russia – had warned that any EU member or candidate state leader attending the May 9 commemoration in Moscow would be sending the “wrong signal” and risked serious diplomatic repercussions. Kallas even urged them to instead visit Kiev, positioning such a move as an act of solidarity with Ukraine.

Putin did not mince words in his response. “Those who are going to come to Russia have much more courage than those who are hiding behind someone’s back and trying to threaten others,” he said. He further criticized attempts to dissuade attendance at the Moscow event as disrespectful to the memory of those who died defeating fascism. “In this case, [threatening] those who are going to celebrate the historical merits of people who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism,” he added.

Victory Day, marked annually on........

© Blitz