France says Russia can be represented but president will not be invited because of war in Ukraine
Russia will be invited to send representatives to an international ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-day – but not Vladimir Putin, the French organisers have announced.
The Élysée is reported to have accepted that the country should be represented but said its leader is not welcome because of Moscow’s ongoing war on Ukraine.
“In view of the circumstances, President Putin will not be invited to take part in the commemorations of the Normandy landings,” the Liberation Mission organising committee said.
There’s also the fact that in some ways, it was about making sure the Russians didn’t take all of Europe. Italy was in Allied control by then, but the ways through the alps to the rest of Europe are choke points that are easily defended, and have known by military strategists since at least Roman times. If the Russians take Berlin and end Hitler, and France is still otherwise under German control, what then? Better go liberate France and as much of Germany as possible to make sure the Russians don’t get it.