Zelensky urged leaders not to attend the Moscow Victory Day parade, pointing to Russia’s refusal to stop fighting and renewed threats.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the evening of May 7 said that he does not recommend foreign leaders to attend the Moscow parade on May 9. The head of state reminded that Russia did not accept Ukraine’s proposal to cease fire from May 6; in response, there were only new Russian strikes, new threats from Russia.

“They want Ukraine’s permission to hold their parade, to come out onto the square safely for an hour once a year, and then continue to kill our people and fight. The Russians are already talking about strikes after May 9. A strange and clearly inadequate logic of the Russian leadership. We have even received appeals from some states close to Russia that their representatives plan to be in Moscow. A strange desire… in these days. We do not recommend.”

– The President of Ukraine

Reaction from the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry

In the Kremlin on May 7, they stated that President of Russia Vladimir Putin is protected as carefully as heads of state around the world, but additional security measures are being introduced until May 9, when Russia marks Victory Day in Europe.

The Russian Defense Ministry previously stated that the Moscow parade on May 9 would take place, but in a shortened form, without military equipment. On May 4 the Russian Defense Ministry announced the unilateral decision by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to declare a ceasefire on May 8 and 9. “We expect the Ukrainian side to follow this example,” stated the Russian Defense Ministry, although Moscow had not offered any formal agreements to ceasefire Kyiv.

“We expect the Ukrainian side to follow this example”

– Russian Ministry of Defense

The Russian Defense Ministry also issued threats to carry out an “massive missile strike on Kyiv’s center,” which it calls a response to possible efforts by the “Kyiv regime” to disrupt the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The President of Ukraine stressed that he supports a ceasefire, but not for a few hours, only to enable the parade in Moscow. He announced a “silence regime” from midnight on May 6, which was almost immediately violated by Russia. At the same time, the Russian authorities did not respond to Kyiv’s proposal for a truce starting from midnight on May 6.

On May 6, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that foreign diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations had been sent a note urging them to “ensure advance evacuation of Kyiv’s diplomatic and other mission staff.” The spokesperson for the Russian foreign policy agency also threatened an “inevitable” strike on Kyiv, including “on centers of decision-making,” in case of an attack on Moscow on May 9. There have been no reports of plans to evacuate staff from Kyiv by foreign diplomatic missions. The European Commission stated that the EU would not pull its diplomats out of Kyiv after Moscow’s warnings.

In the context of these statements, the Ukrainian side emphasizes the importance of dialogue and safeguarding citizens’ safety, while the international community closely watches developments and potential diplomatic initiatives to reduce tension and prevent escalation.