Putin Responds to EU Threats

Russian President Vladimir Putin doubts that European officials possess the necessary tools to carry out their threats against the leaders arriving in Moscow on May 9. “First, to threaten and carry out threats, one must have the necessary tools. And secondly, one must be prepared to use those forces and means. Whether European officials have all of this— I do not know,” said Putin in response to a reporter's question.

According to the Russian leader, the European leaders coming to Russia show courage. “They have much more courage than those who hide behind someone and issue threats; in this case, threatening those who are about to celebrate the historical contributions of individuals who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism,” Putin stated.

Leaders of candidate countries for EU membership have been forbidden from participating in the 80th-anniversary celebrations of Victory Day in Moscow and will face severe punishments for doing so. This was announced by two officials following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, first by Latvia's Foreign Minister Baiba Bržežins and then by the head of EU diplomacy, former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Kallas also urged European leaders to visit Kyiv on May 9 instead of Moscow to express their support for Ukraine.