Russian ambassador denied entry to Bundestag WWII memorial ceremony

The decision underscores Germany’s discontent with how Russia’s role in liberating Europe from Nazi terror should be viewed, as Vladimir Putin has used the legacy of World War II to justify his invasion of Ukraine.

A Bundestag spokesperson cited the federal government’s assessment in a statement explaining the move: "This assessment led to the ambassadors of the Russian Federation and Belarus, among others, not being invited," the statement said.

Representatives of other embassies will join German lawmakers at an event in the Bundestag’s plenary chamber that will mark the end of the war, and with it the end of Nazi Germany’s campaign of violence and genocide in Europe.

Moscow’s attempts

Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechayev attended a commemorative event in the eastern town of Seelow on April 16, despite government warnings about Moscow’s attempts to exploit the 80th anniversary events for its own purposes.

The event was timed to coincide with the Battle of the Seelow Heights, one of the last battles of the war before the Soviet advance on Berlin and the surrender of Germany in May 1945. At least 30,000 Soviet soldiers died in one of the most difficult battles for the Soviet troops.

The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, citing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, said that the German Foreign Ministry's order on the possible expulsion of representatives of Russia and Belarus from the anniversary events is an insult to "direct descendants of Hitler's executioners."

Russia's May 9 cult

In Russia, May 9 is the central day of the official cult of so-called victory.

This year, the head of communist China, Xi Jinping, is going to come to the parade with Putin, as well as European allies of the Kremlin regime, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.