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Opinion
How China became central to Russia’s Victory Day parade
Russia may have hoped to send the message that it is not isolated but the event’s list of expected attendees is not entirely convincing
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Nikola Mikovic is a freelance journalist, researcher and analyst based in Serbia.
For Russian President Vladimir Putin, celebrating Victory Day on May 9 appears to be a top priority. Unable to defeat Ukraine after more than three years of war, Putin is preparing to bask in the glory of the Soviet Union’s triumph over the Nazi Germany – a victory for which he can claim no credit.
This year, leaders of several former Soviet republics – Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia – and the presidents of Brazil, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Cuba, Palestine, Venezuela and Republika Srpska (an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), are expected to attend the event and watch Russian troops march on Moscow’s Red Square, even as their fellow soldiers continue to die in Ukraine.
For Putin, the most important guest undoubtedly is Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is scheduled to visit the Russian capital on May 7. Putin’s summit with Xi comes after the de facto failure of Russia’s negotiation with the United States for peace in Ukraine. As US President Donald Trump’s efforts to freeze the Ukraine conflict failed to yield results, Washington has continued to arm Kyiv.
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