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80th Anniversary of WWII's End Highlights Europe's Fragile Peace

Leaders across Europe mark Victory in Europe Day, emphasizing the lessons of 1945 as Russia's war in Ukraine reshapes historical narratives and commemorations.

Recreadores de guerra del bando soviético, I y II Guerra Mundial
Los jefes de la delegación alemana, el general Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, el mariscal de campo y jefe de estado mayor alemán, Wilhelm Keitel, y el almirante Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, antes de firmar la capitulación, el 8 de mayo de 1945 en el distrito berlinés de Karlshorst.
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Overview

  • EU and German leaders used the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day to underline the fragility of peace, drawing parallels between WWII's aftermath and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  • Russian and Belarusian officials were excluded from commemorative events in Berlin and Strasbourg to prevent the Kremlin from exploiting the ceremonies for propaganda purposes.
  • The Berlin-Karlshorst museum, site of the Nazi surrender to Allied forces, now flies only the Ukrainian flag, reflecting a shift in its symbolic alignment since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
  • German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier denounced Kremlin distortions of WWII history, emphasizing that Russia's aggression in Ukraine is not a continuation of the fight against Nazism.
  • Cultural divisions stemming from the war in Ukraine have fractured WWII reenactment communities, with some groups ceasing to include portrayals of Soviet troops.