On May 8th, during the commemoration ceremony of the German Parliament, Russian diplomats are not welcome. The German Parliament’s administrative department confirmed that the Russian ambassador was not invited upon request. The President of the German Parliament, Julia Klöckner (CDU), who is the only one authorized to issue invitations, followed the “assessment of the German government regarding the invitation of representatives” in this matter. The ambassadors of Russia and Belarus were not included in the invitation list. However, most representatives of the diplomatic corps were invited.
Klöckner explained that the focus of the commemoration ceremony is the national dimension of remembering. “It is about the role of Germany, which was responsible for the most brutal war in history and about the process of dealing with it.” The 80th anniversary of the end of the war is dedicated to this “national perspective.” International guests are well considered by the diplomatic corps.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) criticized the decision. The non-invitation of the Russian ambassador is a “huge disaster” said the vice-chairman of the party, Stefan Keuter, to the FAZ. If other diplomats are invited, the Russian one should also be welcome. “Current skirmishes” should not stand in the way. With the war and its consequences, the Federal Foreign Office recently argued in a recommendation that no Russian or Belarusian representatives should be invited to the commemoration of the World War.
Keuter argued that from a diplomatic perspective, the Russians should be included in the commemoration. They played an important role in the end of the war and the reunification of Germany. When asked if the AfD itself would organize a commemorative event with Russian guests, Keuter said that they would not. One could not as a faction or party correct the “misconduct” of the German government.