Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged foreign governments to stay away from Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9.
In an address on May 7, Zelensky said Ukraine had received word that representatives of some countries close to Russia planned to attend events in Moscow. He called it a strange thing to want at a time like this and said Ukraine did not recommend it.
Kyiv had proposed a ceasefire beginning May 6, he said, but Russia responded to the peace proposal with new strikes and new threats.
Zelensky said Russia wanted Ukraine’s permission to hold its parade — to safely walk out onto the square for an hour once a year — and then go back to killing Ukrainians and fighting. Russians were already talking about strikes after May 9, he added, calling the logic of Russia’s leadership strange and clearly irrational.
The leaders of Belarus, Malaysia, Laos, and the partially recognized states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are expected to take part in the May 9 parade in Moscow.
Russia had previously announced a unilateral ceasefire from midnight on May 8 through May 10. Ukraine responded by proposing a truce beginning May 6, but Russia rejected the proposal and continued striking Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry warned that if Ukraine attempted to disrupt the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Russian forces would launch a retaliatory, large-scale missile strike on the center of Kyiv.
As Russia prepared for May 9, authorities in more than 20 Russian cities canceled Victory Day parades, while Moscow and several other cities decided to hold parades without military hardware.
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