Victory Day 2025: Global Leaders at Moscow Parade

A Defiant Display of Global Alliances

Can a military parade reshape global geopolitics? On May 9, 2025, approximately 27 foreign leaders will gather in Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. This event, a cornerstone of Russian patriotism, underscores President Vladimir Putin’s resilience against Western isolation efforts amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The New York Times reports heightened tensions as Ukraine escalates drone attacks on Moscow ahead of the parade.

[](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/world/europe/ukraine-russia-strikes-victory-day.html)

Key Attendees and Geopolitical Significance

The parade features prominent leaders like China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, representing the BRICS bloc, which Moscow and Beijing position as a counterweight to Western influence. Xi’s state visit includes talks to deepen the “no limits” Russia-China partnership, signed just before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Reuters notes that Xi and Putin will sign multiple bilateral agreements. Other attendees include leaders from Vietnam, Mongolia, Egypt, Myanmar, and several African nations like Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe.

[](https://www.reuters.com/world/china-xi-visit-russia-may-7-10-kremlin-says-2025-05-04/)

Despite EU warnings, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic will attend, signaling defiance of Brussels’ pressure. POLITICO reports Fico’s criticism of Kyiv and his pro-Moscow stance. The presence of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and leaders from unrecognized territories like Abkhazia adds further complexity to the event’s geopolitical optics.

[](https://www.politico.eu/article/dont-go-russia-ww2-victory-day-celebration-eu-warns-leaders-vladimir-putin/)

Victory Day Parade in Moscow’s Red Square. Source: Pixabay

Ukraine’s Response and Security Concerns

Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Moscow, with President Volodymyr Zelensky warning that foreign leaders’ safety cannot be guaranteed during the parade. Newsweek cites Zelensky’s rejection of Putin’s proposed three-day ceasefire as a publicity stunt. The Kremlin confirmed that Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev and Laos’s Thongloun Sisoulith canceled their attendance due to local obligations and illness, respectively.

[](https://www.newsweek.com/russia-zelensky-ww2-parade-2067648)

A Taste of Russia: Borscht Recipe

Amid the grandeur of Victory Day, celebrate Russia’s culinary heritage with Borscht, a beloved beet soup that warms the soul.

Borscht Recipe

• Ingredients: 4 beets (grated), 1 onion (chopped), 2 carrots (grated), 2 potatoes (cubed), 1/2 cabbage (shredded), 3 tbsp tomato paste, 6 cups broth, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar, salt, pepper, sour cream, dill.
• Instructions:
  1. Heat oil in a pot. Sauté onion and carrots 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.
  2. Add beets, sugar, vinegar; cook 10 minutes.
  3. Add broth, potatoes, cabbage, garlic, bay leaves. Boil, then simmer 20-25 minutes.
  4. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve with sour cream, dill, and rye bread.

Published by Planet-Today.com. Source: AFP, ascended to the top of Russian cuisine. Additional sources: The New York Times, Reuters, POLITICO, Newsweek.