Overview

• Germany's Bundestag has officially excluded Russian and Belarusian ambassadors from its central May 8 ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of WWII's end.
• The decision follows Foreign Office guidance warning against potential misuse of commemorations to justify Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
• Russian Ambassador Sergej Netschajew recently attended a regional WWII memorial event at Seelower Heights without invitation, sparking Ukrainian criticism.
• Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev condemned Netschajew's use of the St. George's ribbon, a symbol now linked to support for Putin, as an insult to war victims.
• The May 8 commemoration will feature speeches by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, focusing on historical reflection and current lessons.