A longstanding former Southwark MP has called on the council not to invite the Russian or Belarussian ambassadors to an event honouring the Soviet casualties of the Second World War, in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Former Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Sir Simon Hughes said that the Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) event at the Soviet War Memorial in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, by the Imperial War Museum, should not include Russia and Belarus unless Russian troops have withdrawn from Ukraine by May 1. Belarus has supported the Russian invasion.
Ambassadors of all the countries of the former Soviet Union – including Russia, Ukraine and Belarus – are normally invited to the annual event, which is usually held on May 9, the day when Russia and other eastern European countries celebrate victory in the Second World War. The UK and western European countries celebrate VE Day a day earlier on May 8, because of the time difference.
Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the Ukrainian ambassador has laid their wreath on May 8 in a separate ceremony.
Sir Simon said in a letter this week to Southwark Council leader Kieron Williams: “I write formally to make the following requests:
“Unless Russian troops have left Ukraine (in my view including Crimea) or a peace treaty has been freely signed by the democratic authorities in Ukraine before 1 May, this year Southwark Council should move our civic celebration of VE day to 8th May, specifically invite the Ukraine Ambassador but inform the Soviet War Memorial Trust and the Russian and Belarus embassies that these two embassies will not be invited to attend or permitted to lay wreaths on 8th or 9th May, and that any other former Soviet states which publicly back Russia in the UN or elsewhere are also told that they will not be invited or permitted to participate this year.
“Like many others I presume, I shall not attend any ceremony on 9 May with Russian or Belarus presence but will attend any ceremony that is held on 8th May, provided Russia and Belarus are not invited or permitted to take part and that the Council has invited Ukraine to attend.”
The practicalities of uninviting Russia to the war memorial event appear complicated. Although Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park is owned and managed by the council, the Soviet War Memorial is run by a separate organisation, the Soviet War Memorial Trust.
Southwark Council, the Soviet War Memorial Trust and the Russian and Belarussian embassies were all contacted for comment.
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