MOSCOW (AP) 鈥� Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the conflict in Ukraine is nearing its end after he oversaw a on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II 鈥� a show that didn’t include heavy weapons for in nearly two decades.
Security was tight in Moscow as Putin and several foreign leaders attended the parade, which was scaled down even as a eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities.
Putin, in power for more than a quarter-century, has used Victory Day, Russia鈥檚 most important secular holiday, to showcase the country鈥檚 military might and rally support for his military action in Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
Speaking at the parade, Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, declaring that they 鈥渇ace an aggressive force that is armed and supported by the entire bloc of NATO,” and are fighting for a 鈥渏ust cause.鈥�
鈥淰ictory has always been and will be ours,鈥� Putin said, as columns of troops lined up on Red Square.
Talking to reporters later, he accused Western 鈥済lobalist elites鈥� of arming Ukraine to defeat and break up Russia and declared that 鈥淚 think the matter is coming to an end.鈥�
But in a notable shift this year, the parade took place without tanks, missiles and other equipment put on display every year since 2008, aside from a traditional flyover of combat jets.
Officials explained the change of format by the 鈥渃urrent operational situation鈥� and the threat of Ukrainian attacks. The authorities also ordered restrictions on all mobile internet access and text messaging services in the Russian capital on Saturday. Putin told reporters after the parade that it didn鈥檛 feature heavy weaponry because the military needs it on the battlefield in Ukraine.
For the first time, Saturday’s parade featured troops from , a tribute to Pyongyang that sent its soldiers to fight alongside Moscow forces to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
Earlier ceasefires failed to hold until Trump stepped in
Russia declared a unilateral for Friday and Saturday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a truce that was supposed to begin on May 6, but neither held as the parties traded blame for continuing attacks.
Fears about the festivities’ security eased Friday, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine have bowed to his request for a ceasefire running Saturday through Monday and an exchange of prisoners, declaring that the break in fighting could be the 鈥渂eginning of the end鈥� of the war.
Zelenskyy, who said earlier this week that the Russian authorities 鈥渇ear drones may buzz over Red Square鈥� on May 9, followed up on Trump’s statement by declaring Red Square temporarily off-limits for Ukrainian strikes and mockingly permitting Russia to hold its Victory Day celebrations on Saturday, a move that the Kremlin shrugged off as a 鈥渟illy joke.鈥�
Putin told reporters after the parade that Trump offered to broker a ceasefire after Russia informed the U.S. and others that it would launch a massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv fraught with collateral damage if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday鈥檚 festivities.
鈥淲e just described the situation to our friends, colleagues and partners: We don’t have any intention to exacerbate or worsen relations with anyone, but it could happen because all control and decision-making centers in Kyiv are located close to diplomatic missions,鈥� Putin said. 鈥淲hen we started such a dialogue with the U.S. administration, we warned them about this, pointed out the possible consequences and asked them to do everything necessary to ensure the security of their diplomatic mission.鈥�
He noted that Russia immediately welcomed Trump’s offer that was driven by humanitarian motives and 鈥渞espect to our common victory over Nazism.鈥�
Putin has used Victory Day celebrations to encourage national pride and underline Russia鈥檚 position as a global power. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in 1941-45 in what it calls the , an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche and remains a rare point of consensus in the nation鈥檚 divisive history under Communist rule.
Putin says he could meet Zelenskyy when a peace deal is ready for signing
Russia鈥檚 bigger and better-equipped military has been making slow but steady gains along the more than 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) front line. Ukraine has hit back with increasingly efficient long-range attacks, striking Russian energy facilities, manufacturing plants and military depots. It has developed drones capable of reaching targets over 1,000 kilometers (more than 600 miles) deep into Russia, far beyond its capabilities before 2022.
Zelenskyy has proposed to meet with Putin to negotiate a peace deal, but dismissed the Russian leader’s suggestion that he come to Moscow. On Saturday, Putin said he could meet with Zelenskyy in another country, but only to endorse a comprehensive accord.
鈥淎 meeting in a third country is also possible, but only after a peace treaty aimed at a long-term historic perspective is finalized,鈥� Putin told reporters. 鈥淭his should be a final deal, not the negotiations.鈥�
Putin praises foreign guests, Merz criticizes Fico
Malaysia鈥檚 King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, Kazakhstan鈥檚 President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Belarus鈥� authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko attended the festivities in the Russian capital.
Putin hailed the foreign guests who attended the parade for 鈥減ersonal courage,鈥� noting that they had decided to come to Moscow before the ceasefire brokered by Trump defused security concerns.
Prime Minister , a European Union member, laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial just outside the Kremlin walls but stayed away from the Red Square parade. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Fico鈥檚 trip, saying, “I deeply regret this, and we will discuss his visit to Moscow with him.鈥�
Speaking at a meeting with Putin in the Kremlin, Fico bemoaned what he called a new 鈥淚ron Curtain鈥� in Europe that hampered trade, and emphasized the importance of Russia’s energy supplies to Slovakia. Putin hailed the Slovak leader for conducting a 鈥渟overeign鈥� foreign policy and honoring the memory of fallen Red Army soldiers.
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