Russia‘s President Vladimir Putin is set to host the leaders of China, Brazil and other heads of states for festivities on Friday (May 9, 2025) marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, has become the country’s most important secular holiday.

A massive parade through Red Square and other ceremonies underline Moscow’s efforts to project its power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the three-year-old war in Ukraine.

“For Mr. Putin, this day is important as a demonstration how broad a coalition backing Russia is,” political analyst Nikolai Petrov said.

The lineup of leaders coming to Moscow contrasts sharply to some past celebrations that drew top Western leaders at a time of friendlier ties between Russia and the West.

The guest list reflects Russia’s priorities

Mr. Putin described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “our main guest” at the Victory Day festivities when he discussed preparations for his visit with China’s Foreign Minister. The Russian leader noted that he and Mr. Xi are to discuss both bilateral and global issues at their summit in Moscow.

Mr. Xi is coming for a four-day visit, and Mr. Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said they would discuss trade and Russia’s supply of oil and gas to China, as well as cooperation within BRICS — the bloc of developing economies that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa but has since expanded to more countries.

President Putin and President Xi have met more than 40 times and developed strong personal ties to bolster their “strategic partnership” as they both face soaring tensions with the West.

China has offered robust diplomatic support to Moscow after the 2022 invasion and has emerged as a top market for Russian oil and gas, helping fill the Kremlin’s war coffers. Russia also has relied on China as the main source of machinery and electronics to keep its military machine running after Western sanctions curtailed high-tech supplies.

While Beijing has not provided weapons to use in Ukraine, it has backed the Kremlin diplomatically, blaming the West for threatening Russia’s security. China also has strongly condemned Western sanctions against Moscow. Russia, in turn, has consistently voiced support for Beijing on issues related to Taiwan.

Last month, Ukraine reported capturing two Chinese soldiers who were fighting for Russia and claimed there were more than 150 others deployed alongside Moscow’s forces. Beijing disavowed any official involvement, saying it also told its citizens not to get involved in foreign conflicts. Reports suggested the men were mercenaries who had answered online ads.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, another top ally whom Mr. Putin has courted, had been expected in Moscow, but he cancelled his trip amid tensions with Pakistan after an attack in which gunmen opened fire on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Russia has been a major defence supplier for India since the Cold War, and New Delhi’s importance as a key trading partner for Moscow has grown since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine. Just like China, India has become a key buyer of Russian oil following Western sanctions.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will also be in Moscow for Victory Day, his first official trip to Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine. He twice visited Russia during his previous tenure as President in 2003-2010.

Other signs of global support for the Kremlin

Other guests include Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has openly challenged the European Union’s policies over Ukraine. Mr. Fico has shrugged off warnings from the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, against visiting Moscow, defiantly saying, “nobody can order me where to go or not to go.“ Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has also accepted an invitation, his first trip to Russia since the invasion. He said he wouldn’t cancel the trip despite EU pressure that visiting Moscow could derail Serbia’s ambitions to join the bloc. But he fell ill during a trip to the U.S. last week, raising questions about his travel to Russia. The Kremlin on May 6 announced plans for Mr. Putin to have bilateral meetings with him and Mr. Fico on May 9.

Mr. Petrov said attendance by European countries despite EU pressure demonstrates “that the Kremlin isn’t just in any sort of isolation but has quite powerful support not only in the Global South but also in the West”. The leaders of Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Burkina-Faso, plus the presidents of several former Soviet nations, are also expected.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the guest list at the festivities reflects the importance of the holiday. “It shows that Russia not only has allies, but a large number of countries that feel close to the spirit of our ideology and world vision,” he said.

Mr. Ushakov said on May 6 that leaders of 29 countries are expected to attend the parade, and Mr. Putin will hold more than 15 bilateral meetings. The Kremlin also invited U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy, although “whether she will be present at the parade, we will see on May 9,” Mr. Ushakov said. The State department didn’t confirm whether any of the U.S. officials would attend.

Past celebrations featured top Western leaders

When Russia’s ties with the West blossomed after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, many Western leaders attended Victory Day celebrations. In 1995, U.S. President Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister John Major, and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien were among the guests.

U.S. President George W. Bush attended the 2005 Victory Day parade along with the leaders of France, Germany and other Heads of States and German Chancellor Angela Merkel was on Red Square for the 2010 parade.

Ties with the West were badly strained after Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the start of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow backed a separatist insurgency. Western leaders stopped coming to the event.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who this year upended Washington’s policy of isolating Russia over the war, hasn’t ruled out visiting Moscow someday, but will not be attending on May 9, 2025.

What began as a standard diplomatic visit quickly turned into a high-stakes exchange when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney fact-checked US President Donald Trump during their first official meeting at the White House on Tuesday.As cameras rolled in the Oval Office, Trump downplayed Canada’s trade significance to the United States, claiming, “We don’t do much business with Canada from our standpoint. They do a lot of business with us. We’re at like 4%.” But Carney, calm and composed, stepped in firmly.“Respectfully, Canadians’ view on this is not going to change on the 51st state,” Carney said, referring to his early days in office and Trump’s earlier remark about annexing Canada. He continued, “We are the largest client of the United States in the totality of all the goods.”As reported by CNN, Trump’s “4%” figure is false. In reality, Canada purchased about 17% of all US goods exports in February and March 2025, according to official US trade data—more than any other country. In total, Canada bought around $440 billion worth of US goods and services in 2024, making it the top destination for American exports, as confirmed by the US trade representative.Carney, pressing the point further, highlighted how deeply integrated both nations’ economies are. “We have a tremendous auto sector between the two of us. You know, 50% of a car that comes from Canada is American. That’s not like anywhere else in the world,” he said.According to the AP, Carney also stood firm on Canada’s sovereignty when Trump floated the idea of annexing Canada. “Some places are never for sale,” he told Trump directly. “Canada is one of them. And it won’t be for sale, ever.” Trump smirked and replied, “Never say never,” to which Carney responded with a quiet but resolute “Never, never, never.”Despite the tension, Trump appeared to appreciate Carney’s straightforward approach. “I like this guy,” the president said as the meeting wrapped up, a remark that seemed to signal respect more than irritation.But the session was emblematic of how Oval Office meetings have changed under Trump. As reported by AP, these events have evolved from formal photo ops into unpredictable exchanges where foreign leaders must choose between confrontation and diplomacy.During the meeting, Trump also wandered into unrelated topics, including complaints about California’s rail project, jabs at Barack Obama’s library, and a sudden announcement to halt bombing in Yemen, leaving Carney visibly uneasy. At one point, the Canadian leader’s lips tightened and his hands remained clasped as he struggled to reinsert the conversation into serious policy territory.Trump also repeated a long-debunked claim, stating that the US was “subsidising Canada to the tune of maybe $200 billion per year.” However, the actual US trade deficit with Canada in 2024 was about $36 billion, far from Trump’s exaggerated number, reported CNN. Even when counting only goods, the gap was around $71 billion, not a subsidy and nowhere near $200 billion.

A Vatican employee annulls the papal seal on the pope’s fisherman’s ring, at the Vatican, Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Following Pope Francis’ death on April 21, 133 cardinals from around the world will convene within the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Wednesday (May 7, 2025), to elect the next pope in the Papal Conclave 2025. As it chooses the 267th pope, this momentous occasion represents a major change for the Catholic Church.

With the world’s attention focused on Rome, there is widespread conjecture about the top candidates, how this covert process will proceed and who might become the future spiritual leader of more than 1.3 billion Catholics throughout the world.

What is the voting process?

Voting begins with a morning Mass, followed by an afternoon entry into the Sistine Chapel. The chapel is then sealed to ensure that only the electors and essential staff remain, cut off from the outside world.

Cardinals cast a single vote on the first day. Two ballots are held in the morning and two in the afternoon starting on the second day.

On a piece of paper, each vote is scribbled with the words Elijo como Supremo Pontífice, which translates to “I elect as Supreme Pontiff,” and the name of the candidate. After being folded, ballots are then taken to the altar and placed in a chosen urn.

Each vote is counted and read out by three scrutineers, who are randomly selected cardinals. Ballots are burned in a stove after being stitched together with a needle. The outcome is shown by the colour of the smoke signals coming from the chapel chimney: white smoke indicates a successful election, while black smoke indicates no decision.

To win, a candidate must get a two-thirds majority – at least 89 votes out of 133.

Watch: How is a new Pope chosen? | Explained

What if no Pope is chosen?

If no pope is chosen within three days, the cardinals take a day of prayer and thought. Seven additional ballots are then cast. After three iterations of this cycle, the two leading candidates, who are unable to cast their own ballots, enter a runoff election.

Conclaves have rarely lasted long in modern history. In fact, the 12 pope elections that have taken place since 1846 have concluded in three to five days.

Both the 2005 and 2013 Conclaves were short, lasting only two days each.

What happens after the new Pope is chosen?

After a new pope is chosen, he accepts the position and decides on a papal name that represents his vision or inspiration. The previous pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, chose Francis as his papal name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

In the “Room of Tears,” the new pope dons his white papal garments.

Following this, the senior cardinal declares, “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; HabemusPapam!” (“I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope!”) from St Peter’s Basilica’s balcony, and the new pope appears to give his first public blessing.