Several foreign dignitaries have arrived in Moscow to attend the grand military parade on Friday. Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic and Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are among the leaders who will participate in the Russian ceremonies.
Vucic's attendance has been criticized by the EU, which says it delays Serbia's opportunities for EU membership.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived on Thursday evening in Moscow, and is thus expected to be the only leader from an EU country.
Xi meets Putin
China's Xi Jinping arrived in the morning at the Kremlin for meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the beginning of the meeting, Xi promises that China will stand on Russia's side against the world's "bullying behavior" and praises the "mutual political trust" between the countries.
We develop our ties for the benefit of the people of both countries and are not against anyone, says Putin to Xi when the talks begin.
According to Putin, Russia and China are defending the "truth" about World War II, which he claims the West wants to distort.
Beijing presents itself as a neutral part in the Ukraine war, but according to Western countries, the country is strengthening Russia both economically and diplomatically.
"Never again"
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasizes in a video clip on X that people after World War II cried "never again" to war.
Evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought. Together. With strength. With pressure. On the battlefield, on the diplomatic arena, in the economic sector – wherever it is possible. So that "never again" becomes a reality.
