The discussion around Russia’s exclusion from the 80th Normandy landing anniversary celebrations featured remarks from Vladimir Putin, the president of the Russian Federation. He stated that Moscow “will not lose anything” by not taking part in the commemorations, a point he raised during a meeting with the leaders of major world news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2024. According to official accounts, Putin acknowledged the significance of the moment and used it to frame Russia’s stance on the event and its broader implications for dialogue with Western partners.
When asked about Russia’s participation, the president commented on the public framing of readiness or lack thereof, noting that Russia was neither invited to nor included in the organizational plans for the ceremony. He emphasized that the absence of Moscow did not equate to any loss for Russia, and he suggested that the absence also served as an answer about which parties were seeking constructive dialogue and which were not.
Putin underlined the Soviet Union’s decisive role in overcoming Nazism, asserting that historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the Soviet contribution to the victory. He asserted that time has shown the USSR’s impact and argued that Russia, as a successor state, shared in that historic defeat of Nazism.
In his remarks, the president also voiced skepticism about coordinating celebrations with participants who, in his view, had aligned with neo-National Socialist ideologies. He suggested that it would be inappropriate to honor figures associated with extremist ideas in a ceremony dedicated to the fight against Nazism, and he warned that including such individuals would distort the historical memory of the alliance’s efforts.
Separately, media coverage indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might attend events in France and participate in the G7 meetings in Italy to mark the 80th anniversary. This reporting surfaced amid ongoing tensions between Kyiv and Moscow and amid broader disputes over the interpretation and commemoration of World War II events. The Kremlin later commented on France’s decision not to invite Russia to the Normandy anniversary ceremonies, reflecting broader diplomatic strains and the ongoing contest over narrative control surrounding the war’s legacy. (Cited context from SPIEF 2024 discussions and subsequent statements published by various outlets.)