Photo: Dušan CvetanovićPixabay

This article was first published by Truthmeter.mk (North Macedonia), within the framework of Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Project.

Victory in Europe Day is marked on May 8 with ceremonies in several European countries, including France and Germany. Starting in 2023, Ukraine also officially marks the day of remembrance and victory over Nazism on May 8. Kyiv has invited European leaders to protest Vladimir Putin’s ceremony in Moscow in a symbolic gesture, in order to show unity with Ukraine and determination in the face of the greatest aggression in Europe since World War II

We analyze a post on the social network Facebook that reads:

Ukraine and the European Union will NOT celebrate May 9, Victory Day. Question: Why?

It is not true that Ukraine and the EU will not celebrate May 9. They will not celebrate it in Moscow. It is also important that the day of victory over fascism in Europe is celebrated on May 8.

As reported by the Guardian, Victory Day is celebrated in several European countries with ceremonial events. On Thursday, May 8, ceremonies will be held across France at war memorials in towns and villages. In France, this day is a public holiday, as it is every year (and also in Slovakia and the Czech Republic). It refers to the date of May 8, 1945, when the end of World War II in Europe was marked and the Allies won the war and Nazi Germany capitulated. For Europeans, the day symbolizes liberation from one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century–genocide, dictatorship, and mass destruction. The memory of this event remains a fundamental pillar of European post-war identity, intertwined with the lessons of anti-fascism, reconciliation, and multilateralism.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron will lay a wreath at the monument to Charles de Gaulle, and will deliver a speech about the values ​​that triumphed in 1945. The commemoration is marked with the highest state honors and protocols, military bands from 6 countries, a parade, flags, military vehicles, etc.

The Guardian writes that a series of commemorations, exhibitions, witness testimonies, theater performances, public discussions, film screenings, and concerts are planned for May 8 in Berlin.

The newly elected German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will attend a commemorative ceremony at a war-damaged church in Berlin, a wreath-laying ceremony and the central jubilee event, a parliamentary commemoration in the Reichstag.

Each of the former Nazi concentration camps on German soil, now preserved as memorials, marked the date of their liberation by Allied troops with solemn ceremonies that brought together the dwindling ranks of survivors.

Europe Day, held on May 9 each year, celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the “Schuman Declaration,” a historic proposal by Robert Schuman, French Foreign Minister, in 1950, which laid the foundations for European cooperation. Schuman’s proposal is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union.

Moscow marks Victory Day over Nazi Germany in World War II on May 9. However, the European Union has a unified position that European leaders should not join the celebration in Moscow on that day, but should go to Kyiv to display a diplomatic and political message. This has been abused by Russian propaganda for spin and manipulation in recent months.

Kyiv has invited European leaders to a symbolic move to oppose Vladimir Putin’s ceremony in Moscow, in order to “demonstrate unity with Ukraine and determination in the face of the greatest aggression in Europe since World War II.” The administration of Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by the Kyiv Independent, is trying to divert attention from Moscow’s annual military parade, which comes three years after Russia launched its unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky plans to gather European leaders on the same day, according to the media outlet, to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. Ukraine is under attack and in a state of war. That is why the celebration of Victory Day is being held modestly. Starting in 2023, Ukraine officially marks the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism on May 8, as most European countries do. The corresponding Law No. 9278 was signed by President Zelensky and supported by 317 members of parliament.

And in 2025, the legal regime of martial law continues in Ukraine, which directly affects the calendar of official holidays. According to the Law on the Organization of Labor Relations under Martial Law, days off are canceled. In Ukraine, the decision to shift the emphasis from May 9 to May 8 is part of a departure from Soviet narratives. Abandoning the Soviet-style celebration of Victory Day is a conscious step towards a European model of remembrance that focuses not on military triumph, but on paying tribute to the victims and understanding the tragedy.

Due to all the above facts, we assess the post we are reviewing as untrue.