May 16 , 2025
President Taye Atske Selassie of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia joined other world leaders in Moscow to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 against Nazi Germany.
Upon his arrival in the Russian capital, President Taye was warmly welcomed by Anatoly Bashkin, Director of the Africa Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry; Genet Teshome, Ethiopian Ambassador to the Russian Federation; and other embassy diplomats and staff.
The commemoration on Red Square featured a grand military parade, including both foot and mechanized columns. Thousands of servicemen from Russia, as well as from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Egypt, China, Laos, Mongolia, and Myanmar, participated in the Victory Parade. Notably, the parade showcased unmanned aerial vehicles and loitering munitions for the first time.
Following the commemorative event, President Taye attended a reception and dinner hosted by President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace for the attending world leaders. In his reception speech, President Putin emphasized the diversity of the participating nations, stating, “The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Moscow have brought together the leaders of a wide variety of sovereign states with different models of political, economic and social development; different religions; world outlooks; civilizations; and cultures. However, this diversity is not a dividing but an enriching factor, which makes us stronger because our relations and cooperation are based on shared values and aspirations.”
During his visit, President Taye met with Igor Levitin, Adviser to the President and Special Presidential Representative for International Cooperation in Transport of Russia, to discuss bilateral and multilateral matters of mutual interest.
Victory Day, celebrated on Friday (May 9), is a highly revered holiday in Russia, marking the Soviet people’s valor in the Great Patriotic War. Looking ahead, 2025 has been declared the Defender of the Fatherland Year by the President. The Federation Council plans to hold a series of events to honor this historic feat and promote military and patriotic education among the youth.