In the midst of rising geopolitical tensions, Sergey Nechayev, Russia’s ambassador to Germany, is set to attend another significant World War II commemoration. This event will take place in Torgau, a historic city in eastern Germany, where Soviet and American forces famously met on the Elbe River on April 25, 1945, marking a pivotal moment in the closing days of WWII.

The city of Torgau had previously informed several embassies, including Russia’s, of the event in February, but no formal invitations were issued. Despite this, Russia’s embassy requested speaking time, a request that the city declined, citing its desire not to provide a platform for political statements.

This follows Nechayev’s recent participation in a memorial ceremony at Seelow Heights, east of Berlin, where the largest battle on German soil during WWII took place. The event sparked controversy when the German Foreign Office issued guidelines advising against inviting Russian representatives to commemorations hosted by German federal, state, and local governments. The office expressed concerns that such events could be used by Russia to further justify its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Adding to the tension, Germany’s parliament has made the decision to exclude Russian and Belarusian officials from the primary World War II commemoration event scheduled for May 8 in Berlin, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe.