MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Russian invitations to European leaders for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, commemorating the defeat of Nazi forces, were supposed to be a signal for a normalization of relations, German lawmaker Wolfgang Gehrcke told Sputnik Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, neither our president nor our chancellor will attend the parade. They did not have the right to refuse to participate in the parade. The invitation of European leaders was supposed to be a signal for Europe for normalizing relations with Russia," Gehrcke, Deputy Chairman of Die Linke Party, said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin should have received an invitation to visit Berlin, having invited German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Moscow, Gehrcke said.
"Today we live in a martial world, in order to leave it we have to meet. It is necessary to reestablish exchanges between Russian and German parliamentarians. The next step for normalizing relations should be the lifting of sanctions," Gehrcke said.
Relations between Russia and the European Union have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine and introduction of sanctions.
On March 11, Merkel declined the invitation to attend the parade. The leaders of the United Kingdom and Sweden, among others, have chosen not to participate in the parade, over Russia's alleged involvement in Ukrainian crisis, a claim Moscow has consistently denied.
So far, representatives of at least 25 states have agreed to attend the celebration, according to Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov. A full list of participants is expected to be announced by the end of April.
