German Parliament Excludes Russia from World War II Commemoration

The Bundestag has officially announced that representatives from Russia and Belarus will not be invited to the central commemoration event marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on May 8. This decision follows guidance from the Federal Foreign Office, which advised against including representatives from these two nations in commemorative events due to concerns about potential misuse of the occasion.

While the diplomatic corps, consisting of all accredited ambassadors in Berlin, received invitations, the Bundestag considered the German government's assessment regarding the participation of diplomats from Russia and Belarus. Consequently, the ambassadors from these nations were excluded from the event.

The Foreign Office had previously issued a recommendation to municipalities and memorial sites, cautioning against allowing representatives from Russia and Belarus at events commemorating the end of World War II. The rationale behind this advisory was the fear that Russia might exploit such commemorations to draw parallels with its ongoing military actions in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, the Russian ambassador, Sergej Netschajew, participated in a memorial event at Seelow Heights, an area that witnessed significant battles during World War II. While he was not formally invited, he was greeted cordially by attendees. The Seelow Heights battle resulted in the loss of approximately 33,000 Red Army soldiers, alongside 16,000 German and 2,000 Polish soldiers.

Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev criticized the Russian ambassador's presence at the Seelow event, particularly noting that Netschajew wore the St. George's Ribbon, a symbol associated with Russian military commemoration and increasingly viewed as a representation of support for President Vladimir Putin's policies. Makeiev described the ambassador's appearance as a blatant affront to the memory of war victims, both historical and contemporary, given the recent casualties in Ukraine due to ongoing conflict.

The St. George's Ribbon has evolved since 2005 into a prominent symbol of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, but it has also become associated with the current Russian government's stance. In Ukraine, the use of this symbol is prohibited, and several former Soviet states have restricted its display as part of a broader rejection of perceived militaristic nationalism.

The Bundestag's memorial event, set to take place in early May, will feature a speech by the newly elected President of the Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, who plans to highlight the war's impact on women and the lessons to be learned from this historical period. The official commemorative speech will be delivered by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Attendees will also include representatives from Germany's three other constitutional bodies, such as the anticipated newly elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the President of the Bundesrat Anke Rehlinger, and the President of the Federal Constitutional Court Stephan Harbarth.