Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the 80th-anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landing, a significant event in World War II history. Despite the Soviet Union's role as one of the Second World War allies, President Putin was not among the world leaders present at the event.
In May, French President Emmanuel Macron made the decision not to invite any Russian representatives to the commemorations. This decision was a continuation of an earlier ruling that allowed Russia to send representatives, albeit not high-ranking officials, recognizing Russia's historical contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
The war on the Eastern Front, referred to as the Great Patriotic War in Russia, resulted in the loss of over 25 million military and civilian lives, making it the country with the highest casualties during World War II. The allied efforts against Nazi Germany culminated in the Red Army's capture of Berlin in 1945.
President Putin's last attendance at D-Day commemorations was in 2014 for the 70th anniversary, hosted by former French President Francois Hollande. This event was overshadowed by Russia's annexation of Crimea, and a notable meeting between former US President Barack Obama and Putin took place during the ceremony.
The decision to exclude Russia from the recent commemorations coincides with President Putin's heightened rhetoric regarding global conflicts and warnings about the potential use of nuclear weapons. Putin recently cautioned Western countries against supplying weapons to Ukraine, stating that such actions could lead to Moscow arming their adversaries, a move he described as a 'very serious and dangerous step.'
