EU and Russian leaders should avoid turning WWII commemorations into quarrels over Ukraine

A number of commemorative events were planned for May 2015 to mark the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Marco Siddi writes that while the EU and Russia have both participated in previous commemorations, the Ukraine crisis has made joint events unlikely to take place in 2015. He argues that both sides should avoid linking the occasion to Ukraine as they have little to gain from political disputes spilling over into the field of history.

EurActiv reported on the 6 May 2015 that Russian Ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, had suggested that the EU leaders who had decided not to attend the 9 May celebration of the allied victory in World War II in Moscow were offending his country, who, in his opinion, had made the greatest sacrifice to defeat Nazism.

ESO: Background information: Centenary of Great War stirs bad memories for fractured continent http://www.europeansources.info/record/centenary-of-great-war-stirs-bad-memories-for-fractured-continent/

ESO: Background information: US ambassador barred from Prague Castle by Czech president http://www.europeansources.info/record/us-ambassador-barred-from-prague-castle-by-czech-president/

Moscow Times, 27.04.15: Russia's war victims deserve tribute (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE162188-Russia-s-war-victims-deserve-tribute

Wikipedia: 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Moscow_Victory_Day_Parade

Spiegel Online International, 10.04.15: Punishing Putin: EU Leaders Snub Moscow World War II Commemorations http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-leaders-plan-boycott-of-wwii-commemorations-in-moscow-a-1028011.html

The Guardian, 15.04.15: Western leaders' snub casts shadow over Russia's lavish Victory Day celebrations http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/15/moscow-defiant-victory-day-parade-european-kim-jong-un-9-may-russia-ukraine

Euro|Topics: Who's saying what: War commemoration in times of crisis http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/debatten/links-201504-weltkriegsgedenken/

EurActiv, 28.04.15: Russians seethe over Western snub of WWII parade http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/russians-seethe-over-western-snub-war-anniversary-parade-314157

Financial Times, 04.05.15: Honour Russian war victims despite Putin (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE162521-Honour-Russian-war-victims-despite-Putin

EurActiv, 06.05.15: Russia disappointed with EU leaders about WWII parade http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/Russia%20disappointed%20with%20EU%20leaders%20about%20WWII%20parade-314348

The Local.fr, 06.05.15: French FM to attend Russian WWII ceremony http://www.thelocal.fr/20150506/french-fm-to-visit-moscow-for-wwii-victory-celebrations

EurActiv, 06.05.15: Serbian army to take part in Moscow parade http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/serbian-army-take-part-moscow-parade-314386

Deutschlandfunk, 06.05.15: Gauck's tribute to Soviet soldiers a key gesture (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE162683-Gauck-s-tribute-to-Soviet-soldiers-a-key-gesture

BBC News, 09.05.15: Russia stages massive WW2 parade despite Western boycott http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32668511

Deutsche Welle, 09.05.15: Russia shows off military might in massive VE Day parade http://dw.de/p/1FNIW

Sputnik International, 09.05.15: Hundreds of Thousands March Through Moscow in Memory of ‘Immortal Regiment’ http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150509/1021926988.html

EUObserver, 08.05.15: What does Putin’s 9 May parade mean? https://euobserver.com/foreign/128645

Politico, 08.05.15: Poland talks down Putin but talks up Russia http://www.politico.eu/article/poland-talks-down-putin-but-talks-up-russia/

EUObserver [Opinion], 13.05.15: 'We reject Soviet-style parading of military might' https://euobserver.com/opinion/128685

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