Volodymyr Kogutyak, UWC Vice President for Western Europe and Vice President of the Association of Ukrainians in France announced that Russia will not be invited to the June 6 ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Allies’ Normandy landings, which marked the opening of the second front in World War II.
“When the united community and state work together, the result can only be positive. Over a month of work by the Ukrainian community in France, friends of Ukraine, and the Embassy of Ukraine in France have changed the course of history. France will not allow a historical mistake, and the Russian delegation will not degrade the memory of the heroes of World War II. Instead, the President of Ukraine will represent those countries of the USSR that fought alongside Ukraine for the freedom of Europe. Sincere thanks to everyone who fought so actively for this result,” said Kogutyaк in a comment to the UWC.
The Élysée Palace officially stated that conditions for inviting Russians “have not been met.” “There will be no Russian delegation. Conditions have not been met, taking into account the aggressor war that Russia is conducting against Ukraine, which has intensified in recent weeks,” said Emmanuel Macron’s office.
Earlier, the Ukrainian World Congress and the Association of Ukrainians in France have expressed their outrage over the decision and are demanding the cancellation of the invitation. Leading Ukrainian organizations in France have signed a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron.
“The landing operation on June 6, 1944, was a decisive event in the fight against fascism and tyranny and symbolized hope and freedom for millions of oppressed people across Europe, as well as the allies’ commitment to sacrifice their lives for a better world. Under Vladimir Putin’s regime, Russia embodies the very dark forces the Allies fought against,” the appeal stated.
The idea of inviting Russians to the ceremonies was first mentioned in April. The event organizers supported this decision, citing it as “a gesture to acknowledge the sacrifices of the Soviet Union during World War II.”
Cover: France24
