Putin welcomes foreign leaders on Victory Day: As it happened
Military parades and other ceremonial events paying tribute to the valor and sacrifice of the Soviet people have taken place across Russia, with the centerpiece Victory Day celebration in Moscow attended by 28 foreign leaders.
Thousands of troops and dozens of military vehicles paraded through Moscow’s iconic Red Square on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany and its collaborators.
For over a decade, Victory Day has also featured a massive civilian march known as the Immortal Regiment, during which people carry portraits of their relatives who fought the Nazis. Dozens of Immortal Regiment marches have already taken place across the world over the past week – including in China, Africa, and Latin America – leading up to Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
Following the parade in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of meetings with visiting leaders, with talks expected to cover Ukraine, regional conflicts, energy cooperation, and economic ties. The leaders of Brazil, Egypt, Slovakia, Serbia, and Uzbekistan were among those taking part in the discussions.
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09 May 2025
21:26 GMTRussian President Vladimir Putin has concluded a series of bilateral meetings with visiting world leaders during the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with a final session on Thursday evening with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.
The two leaders met at the Kremlin after attending Moscow’s Victory Day events earlier in the day. The Uzbek president was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Deputy Prime Ministers Jamshid Khodjaev and Jamshid Kuchkarov, Central Bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov, among others. The Russian side included top economic and finance officials such as First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina, and Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev.
Mirziyoyev’s visit marked his second trip to Russia this year, with the talks focused on trade, energy, finance, and industrial cooperation, according to the Kremlin.
- 21:03 GMT
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has stressed that he does not support a “new Iron Curtain” isolating Russia from the West.
He cited the difficulties caused by having to change his jet’s flight path to get to Russia as an example. Earlier this week, fellow EU member-state Estonia closed its airspace to Fico’s jet.
“All technical problems that we encountered, and that our colleagues from the European Union caused, we will consider a childish joke,” he said in his meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
“There is a huge desire here to build a new Iron Curtain. I felt yesterday just how difficult it was to travel here, unlike last year, when we could come here from Bratislava in two hours,” Fico said.
- 20:26 GMT
Vladimir Putin has welcomed Robert Fico’s efforts to restore “long-standing ties between Russia and Slovakia that were effectively frozen” by the previous government in Bratislava, “who strictly followed the collective line of the West.”
“We support this, and for our part, we will do everything in our power in this direction. We have always maintained relations with Slovakia as a friendly state, acting on the principles of respect and consideration of each other's interests,” the Russian leader said.
Putin pointed out that those in the EU who tried to stop Fico from attending the event in Moscow “have once again been convinced that it is better not to do this.”
“You achieve your goals no matter what,” the Russian leader said.
- 20:08 GMT
Slovakia is ready to use its power of veto to stop the EU proposal of completely blockading the import of Russian energy resources into the bloc, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier this week, the European Commission proposed a roadmap to completely wean the EU from Russian energy imports in the coming years.
Fico stressed that EU sanctions have hurt EU countries rather than Russia. For instance, Slovakia cannot move from Russian nuclear fuel to US-produced fuel from Westinghouse due to reactor incompatibility, he stressed.
- 19:07 GMT
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed President Vladimir Putin in Russian during their meeting at the Kremlin.
“We are grateful for the enormous support for the territorial integrity of Serbia, our sovereignty and, of course, your exceptional contribution to the development of our bilateral relations,” Vucic said.
He expressed hope that bilateral trade could be increased.
“A vital issue is gas supply,” Vucic said, adding that he hoped the long-term gas contract between Russia and Serbia would continue.
- 18:40 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Moscow.
“Our soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder against the Nazi invaders,” he said. “We know how respectfully the authorities and people of Serbia treat the memory of those who died for the freedom of our countries.”
Putin thanked Vucic for attending the Victory Day celebrations in the Russian capital despite pressure from the EU. Brussels has warned Vucic that a visit to Moscow will affect Serbia’s bid to join the bloc.
“We value Serbia’s independent, sovereign path in international matters” and will continue to guarantee its energy security, Putin said.
- 17:43 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin complimented Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on his physical condition after the latter's reception at the Kremlin.
Last May, the prime minister survived an assassination attempt when he was shot multiple times by a pro-Ukraine activist. Fico has been one of the EU’s strongest dissenting voices on Western policies about the Ukraine conflict.
“You’ve got a sporty walk,” Putin said as he shook hands with Fico.
- 17:13 GMT
Victory Day fireworks are ongoing in Siberia and Russia’s Far East.
The crowds can be seen recording the spectacular display on their phones as music plays in the background.
- 17:11 GMT
Moscow is ready to deepen its economic cooperation with Brasilia, President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has said, following Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s meeting at the Kremlin.
Bilateral trade between the two nations grew by 9.3% last year, with Brazil importing around a quarter of its fertilizers from Russia, he said. Moscow is ready to further strengthen this cooperation, he added.
“In addition, the countries are currently actively working to launch joint projects in the fields of AI, medicine, industry, and mining,” Dmitriev said.
