“President Dilma really wanted to come, to be here to honor the 70th anniversary of the Victory Day,” the Brazilian minister said on Saturday.
He explained, that Dilma Rousseff had to attend the wedding of a very close person to her, her physician, that had been scheduled a long time ago.
“She has tried to do everything possible to attend [the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow], but she could not make it. … Until last Tuesday she had been hoping that she would be able to come,” Jaques Wagner stressed.
Heads of nearly 30 foreign states and governments, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, participated in the Victory Day celebrations.
Jaques Wagner stressed that Many Western leaders' decision to ignore May 9 celebrations in Moscow was erroneous.
US President Barack Obama, European Council President Donald Tusk, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron have declined Moscow's invitation to attend the Victory Day parade, citing Russia's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
“I think it was a mistake. You can find a consensus by coming closer, rather than by quarreling and putting obstacles,” the Brazilian minister said on Saturday.
According to Wagner, Western leaders’ visit to Moscow could have set a basis for a subsequent settlement of the sides' disagreements regarding the situation in Ukraine.
The minister described the parade in Moscow as “grand and monumental,” adding that he was impressed by the Russian president's speech, military equipment, shown at the parade, as well as by the Red Square itself.
“I can say that it was one of the most beautiful parades that I have ever seen,” Jaques Wagner pointed out.
On Saturday, Moscow held its largest-ever military parade, marking 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's capitulation.
More than 16,000 servicemen, almost 200 units of military equipment and some 140 helicopters and planes participated in the celebration.
