Putin Could Invite Trump To WW2 Victory Celebration

4 hours ago 5

What's New

Russia has hinted at the possibility of inviting President-elect Donald Trump to the country's celebration of the end of World War II next year.

While not directly mentioning Trump or the U.S., Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state-owned news agency TASS that Russia plans to invite representatives and allies from the "anti-Hitler coalition" to attend the May 9 events in Moscow commemorating the defeat of the Nazis.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump's transition team and the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Neither Trump nor any other major U.S. political figure is unlikely to attend such an event in Moscow due to the U.S. and international condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

If such an invitation were to occur, it could signal an attempt by Russia to improve relations with the U.S. under a new Trump administration. The Kremlin confirmed last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been invited to Trump's inauguration on January 20.

What to Know

Russia celebrates the Soviet victory over the Nazis every May 9. Next year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov were among the leaders of former Soviet nations who joined this year's celebrations. No U.S. representatives or other Western officials were reported to have attended the event.

Putin recently said at an end-of-year news conference that Moscow would be "open to everyone who wants to be in" the capital for next year's celebrations, including the Soviet Union's World War II allies.

The Soviet Union officially dissolved on December 26, 1991, leading to the emergence of 15 independent countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Armenia.

Trump has frequently touted his strong relationship with Putin as a positive, often claiming Russia would never have invaded Ukraine if he was the White House.

Trump was condemned for praising Putin for the steps he took ahead of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as "genius" and "very savvy."

The president-elect has said the near three-year war between Russia and Ukraine would end soon after his return to the White House.

What People Are Saying

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS: "Every year the May 9 events are attended by representatives of countries from the anti-Hitler coalition, including veterans, prominent political and public figures. It will be the same for the 80th anniversary of the victory. As for the formalities, including the list of specific persons, these issues are being worked out by the Foreign Ministry in coordination with the presidential administration. We will keep you informed as preparations progress."

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in comments shared by Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media, said: "We will be happy to see all those who wish to visit our country to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Victory over Nazism. We are open to anyone who wants to celebrate this date with us, including members of the anti-Hitler coalition."