The EU parliamentarians have told dpa they want to send a message of peace by taking part in Victory Day celebrations
A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including two Germans, are planning to travel to Moscow for a two-day visit to take part in Victory Day celebrations and send a message of peace, the German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday.
The delegation will reportedly also include MEPs from the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Slovakia. The visit will feature “talks with [Russian] parliamentarians as well as politicians and cultural figures,” according to German MEPs Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich.
The two MEPs, who represent the left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), told dpa they wanted to express support for the unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine announced by Moscow.
“We also want to send a signal that we are committed to ensuring that the guns in Ukraine remain permanently silent,” they said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral Victory Day truce, which took effect at midnight on May 7–8 and is expected to last until midnight on May 10–11. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky dismissed the initiative as “manipulation,” as Kiev intensified drone attacks on Russian cities, including Moscow.
Separately, two other BSW politicians – former German MPs Klaus Ernst and Sevim Dagdelen – told Der Spiegel on Wednesday that they would attend a reception at the Russian Embassy in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The politicians said they wanted to demonstrate opposition to the “falsification of history” and the demonization of Russia.
“Russia is not my enemy, and I don’t feel threatened by or at war with Russia,” Dagdelen stated, describing the occasion as an opportunity for “dialogue” and a “new beginning in German-Russian relations.” Ernst told the paper they were also alarmed by “the clearly visible signs of war preparations in Germany.”
Their stance contrasts with that of official Berlin and Brussels. The German Foreign Ministry had earlier advised organizers against inviting Russian and Belarusian representatives to WWII commemorations. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned in April that the bloc opposes any officials from member or candidate states attending Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
Meanwhile, Berlin authorities have banned the display of Russian and Soviet flags and symbols during commemorations on May 8 and 9, according to local media.
