Xi Jinping Expected To Visit Moscow In May For World War Two Victory Day Celebrations

Chinese President Xi Jinping has accepted an invitation to attend the celebration in Moscow of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (World War Two), according to a statement announced by the Russian Ambassador to China, Igor Morgulov. Chinese authorities have not yet commented on the information.

Morgulov stated that “The Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping has accepted an invitation to take part on May 9 in Moscow in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and, in turn, invited Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to China for the (similar Chinese) celebrations planned for early September.” Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, that Russia will invite many heads of state to the event. Most European countries, despite the fact that Russia helped defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan at great cost, and guaranteed the freedom of Europe, will not be attending. Most view it as a ‘propaganda’ event.

However, Russia (as part of the Soviet Union), China, the United States and most European allied forces cooperated during WWII to defeat Nazi Germany and its allies. The USSR lost about 27 million soldiers and civilians during the war. Europe is estimated to have lost about 20 million, including 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.

The previous time Xi Jinping visited Moscow was in March 2023, for a three-day visit.