President Zelensky of Ukraine has threatened to attack the Victory Day military parade in Moscow on May 9. This is disgraceful. And it is outrageous that western politicians have not said so.

Amidst an ongoing war in Ukraine, countries involved in the defeat of Nazi Germany are preparing to mark the end of World War II, or the Great Patriotic War, as it is known in Russia. His Majesty the King will lead commemorations in Britain on 8 May. Russia and other former Soviet Countries such as Kazakhstan mark the end of the war on 9 May. The history is complex but boils down to a disagreement on the formal timing of Germany’s signature of the Instrument of Surrender.

As this is the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, the celebrations will be bigger than normal. A host of foreign dignitaries will be in Britain and in Russia, including the President Xi Jinping of China who’ll travel to Moscow.

Given the ongoing tussle over agreeing an end to the war in Ukraine, President Putin has announced a seventy two hour ceasefire covering the Victory Day period. That is to be welcomed.

Ukraine has been pressing for a more immediate 30 day unconditional ceasefire. However, as no concrete agreement has been reached on key sticking points, and with two separate and very different U.S. and European peace proposals in circulation, Russia has yet to agree to this.

I continue to hope for an........

© Eurasia Review