India lowers level of representation at 9 May parade in Moscow
www.pravda.com.ua
Sat, 03 May 2025 18:48:34 +0300
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will not attend the 9 May Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Instead, Deputy Defence Minister Sanjay Seth is expected to represent India.
Source The Hindu newspaper, citing Indian official sources.
Details The decision comes amid growing tensions with Pakistan following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Quote Russia had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Victory Day parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War, but it was decided that Singh would attend the event.
Background Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vui said that he would go to Russia on 9 May because he had promised Putin.
However, on 3 May, it was reported that he was admitted to a military medical hospital due to health problems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine could not guarantee other countries the safety of their representatives during their planned trips to Moscow for the 9 May parade.
In April, Kaja Kallas, European Unions chief diplomat, called on European leaders not to attend the 9 May military celebrations in Moscow, but instead to show solidarity with Ukraine.
The European Union has also given a clear instruction to EU candidate states not to attend the 9 May parade in Moscow and not to visit Russia.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico plans to visit Moscow on 9 May at Putins invitation.
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on 21 February that he was not going to travel to Moscow to celebrate what is known in Russia as Victory Day on 9 May.
The Ukrainian government invited European officials to Kyiv on 9 May to show diplomatic strength in opposition to Russian leader Putins annual military parade in Moscow on the same day.
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