Vladimir Putin is not on the guest list, but Russian representatives have been invited to take part in WWII anniversary ceremony.
France’s decision to invite Russia to attend the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings has stoked tensions with allied nations as leaders prepare to gather on the Normandy beaches on June 6.
Last month, Paris caught Western countries off guard when D-Day organizers announced they were extending an invitation to Moscow even as Russia launches a fresh offensive on Ukraine. Officials from the United Kingdom and two other World War II allies expressed concerns over the move, raising questions ranging from the symbolic nature of the occasion, protocol issues and queries about diplomatic engagement with Russian representatives.
A U.K. government official said that France’s actions — not only the D-Day invitation but also hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping this month and sending a representative to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration — were “disturbing.”
True, but it’s not the first time someone has that idea. Germany spent 2 decades appeasing Russia to try to integrate them, and america and NATO basically served their requests after the 2008 invasion of Georgia in an attempt to get them to behave and be a part of the gang. We already know that it means nothing to Putin, we don’t need to try this stuff again.