EU Threatens Bloc Aspirants Over Attending Russia’s Victory Day Celebrations
As Russia prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, tensions are once again rising in Europe—this time not on the battlefield, but across diplomatic channels. On Monday, April 14, EU foreign ministers convened in Luxembourg, where the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued an extraordinary warning: any European leader or aspirant nation attending Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9 will face serious consequences.
Kallas Issues Stark Ultimatum Over May 9 Attendance
Speaking to reporters following the EU foreign ministers’ summit, Kallas declared that attendance at the commemorative military parades in Moscow would be seen as a betrayal of European solidarity with Ukraine and potentially punishable with derailed EU membership efforts for candidate countries.
“Any participation in the 9th May parades or celebrations in Moscow will not be taken lightly on the European side,” Kallas warned. “Russia is really waging a full-scale war in Europe.”
This was echoed by multiple EU officials, who described the event as a geopolitical litmus test for countries like Serbia and Slovakia, whose leaders have shown interest in attending.
Putin Invites Global Leaders—And Some Might Accept
According to Russian state media, President Vladimir Putin has extended invitations to the leaders of China, India, Brazil, as well as Serbia and Slovakia—two European nations that either seek or currently hold EU membership.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has yet to confirm attendance, but reports suggest he is likely to accept. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, however, has been more defiant, declaring that “no one can stop him from going to Moscow.”
Such defiance has triggered threats from within the EU. Estonian Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Jonatan Vseviov said Serbia’s participation would “come at a cost.”
“The consequence is them not joining the European Union,” Vseviov said. “Basically, what we look at is whether or not they are on our side or playing on the other team.”
Kyiv Counter-Invitation and EU Pressure Tactics
In a bid to counter Russia’s symbolic May 9 narrative, Ukrainian authorities have extended their own invitations to top EU officials and leaders to visit Kyiv on Victory Day, in a show of support for Ukraine’s war effort.
Kallas endorsed this counter-celebration strategy:
“I’ve called on all member states and representatives of EU institutions to visit Kyiv as much as possible to show our solidarity with Ukraine.”
Orbán Says No, But Pressure Mounts Elsewhere
While Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has already stated he will not attend the Moscow parade, pressure is now mounting on other European and aspiring EU leaders not to break rank.
The EU’s stance reveals growing intolerance for any deviation from its anti-Russian posture. With May 9 approaching, the bloc’s message is clear: you’re either with Brussels—or you’re with Moscow.
The situation underscores a deepening divide in Europe over how to handle post-war commemorations amid an ongoing geopolitical realignment—and highlights how historical memory is now a tool of modern diplomacy and power politics.
