Less than a week before Russia’s Victory Day Parade in Moscow, the attendance of two key European leaders remains uncertain, as both Serbia’s president and Slovakia’s prime minister face health issues.
Russia is staging a military parade on Red Square and an address by President Vladimir Putin on May 9 as part of its World War II anniversary celebrations.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are among the few European leaders who had planned to attend the May 9 event on Red Square.
Their participation has drawn strong criticism from the European Union, which says the visit goes against EU values. Brussels has even warned that Vučić’s trip could hurt Serbia’s bid to join the EU.
Vučić fell ill during a visit to the United States last week, cutting his trip short and returning to Belgrade, where he was briefly hospitalized. Doctors later said his condition was stable, citing a spike in blood pressure. He’s now resting and hasn’t said whether he still plans to travel to Moscow.
Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Siniša Mali told reporters that Vučić “will keep his word” and attend the parade, but added that a final decision is expected in a few days.
Meanwhile, Fico has also pulled out of recent public appearances, including May Day events, raising questions about his health. Slovak media have speculated his absence may be health-related, possibly tied to lingering effects from an assassination attempt a year ago.
Despite this, Fico confirmed Monday he still plans to attend the parade. He declined to discuss his health but criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for questioning the safety of foreign leaders attending the event.
With just days to go, Moscow’s list of high-profile foreign guests remains in flux – aside from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Vučić and Fico were the only European leaders expected to attend.
Non-European foreign leaders expected to attend include Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.