European Parliament Delegation to Commemorate WWII Victory in Moscow Amid Controversy

According to German media reports on Wednesday, five members of the European Parliament are scheduled to visit Moscow this week to participate in events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The delegation includes two representatives from Germany’s far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which is against providing military support to Ukraine, alongside MEPs from the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Slovakia.

As reported by the German news agency dpa, the lawmakers will spend two days in the Russian capital during a ceasefire unilaterally declared by President Vladimir Putin, which is set to take place from May 8 to May 10, coinciding with the Victory Day celebrations.

Members of the delegation include BSW representatives Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich. The names of the Czech, Cypriot, and Slovak MEPs were not disclosed in the dpa report, which also indicated that the delegation intends to travel to Kyiv following their time in Moscow.

The group aims to «engage in discussions with parliamentarians and other officials… to address the escalating confrontation and tensions in Europe,» as stated in a BSW press release cited by dpa.

Additionally, they expressed their desire to «send a message that we want the fighting in Ukraine to cease permanently,» the statement noted.

Sahra Wagenknecht, the founder of BSW, told the German news outlet Der Spiegel that her party members «will not take part in the military parade» on Red Square or in “similar state functions.”

The publication also revealed that the Russian Defense Ministry had given prior approval for the European lawmakers’ visit.

At least 29 world leaders are anticipated to attend the military parade in Moscow on Friday, including the presidents of Serbia and Slovakia, who are the only European leaders planning to partake in the commemorative events.

Ukrainian officials have cautioned that they cannot assure the safety of foreign dignitaries in Moscow during the celebrations and have rejected Putin’s suggested 72-hour ceasefire, instead advocating for a 30-day ceasefire.

On Wednesday, Ukraine executed its largest drone attack on Russia to date, causing airports across the nation to restrict air traffic, which subsequently resulted in significant flight delays and cancellations for passengers.