Serbian President Vučić to attend May 9 parade in Moscow, despite EU pressure

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will travel to Moscow for the May 9th celebration parade, despite calls from the European Union not to do so.

The Associated Press writes about this.

"We will soon be under pressure regarding the event in Moscow, in which we announced our participation," Vučić noted.

European officials have previously warned the Serbian president that his visit to Moscow for the May 9 celebrations could violate criteria for potential EU membership and negatively affect Serbiaʼs ambitions to join the European Union. A visit to Moscow, they said, would effectively symbolize support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Russiaʼs war against Ukraine.

Despite this, Vučić confirmed that one of the Serbian military units would take part in the parade on May 9 in Moscowʼs Red Square. He also noted that this would be Serbiaʼs first participation in a "joint" organization of the parade.

In addition to Vučić, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik will also travel to Moscow.

• In most European countries, as well as in the United States and Great Britain, the holiday of victory in World War II is celebrated on May 8, because on this day in 1945, at 22:43 Central European Time, the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed. According to Moscow time, the surrender was signed at 00:43 the next day, May 9.
• The European Union has clearly warned EU candidate countries not to attend the parade in Moscow on May 9 and not to travel to Russia.

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