Putin’s defiant victory day speech: ‘Our cause is just’ as Russia faces west
By Burnett Munthali
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a defiant speech at Moscow’s Red Square on Victory Day, marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
Putin justified Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a “just” cause and accusing NATO of backing an “aggressive force” against Russia.
“The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the soldiers carrying out the goals of the special military operation today,” Putin said, invoking the Soviet victory to rally support for his army in Ukraine.
He emphasized that Russian troops were fighting an “aggressive force” backed by the entire NATO bloc, and despite this, “our heroes move forward”.
Putin firmly believes that “our cause is just,” he added.
The speech was delivered amidst a scaled-back parade, with no military hardware on display for the first time in nearly two decades, and only a handful of foreign dignitaries in attendance.
The Victory Day celebrations came as Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day ceasefire, brokered by US President Donald Trump.
Moscow had threatened a “massive” strike on central Kyiv if Ukraine disrupted the proceedings.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had issued a decree ordering the Ukrainian military not to attack the parade, and confirmed his government would adhere to the ceasefire to enable the swap of 1,000 detainees from each warring side.
“Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be returned home,” Zelensky said.
The war in Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands of people and spiralled into Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
US-mediated talks on ending the fighting have shown little progress since February, when Washington shifted focus to its war against Iran.
