About: World War II
Macron marks de Gaulle’s wartime appeal with UK visit
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (18 June) made his first overseas trip since the coronavirus outbreak began, visiting London to mark the 80th anniversary of wartime resistance leader Charles de Gaulle's rallying cry against Nazi occupation from the British capital.
Putin sets new date for Red Square military parade postponed over coronavirus
President Vladimir Putin set a new date of 24 June for a grand Red Square military parade he was forced to postpone over a coronavirus outbreak that is still triggering thousands of new infections each day.
Berlin’s battle scars linger 75 years after Nazi defeat
Germany has been forced to cancel public events to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe but Berliners need no ceremonies to remember their downfall - the scars of war are all around them.
Prague district mayor says he is under police protection against Russian threat
The mayor of one of the Czech capital's districts said on Tuesday (28 April) he had been put under police protection due to a threat that a Russian man had been sent to kill him, escalating a row between Prague and Moscow.
Trump and Putin issue rare joint statement promoting cooperation
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin issued a rare joint statement on Saturday (25 April) commemorating a 1945 World War Two link-up of US and Soviet troops on their way to defeat Nazi Germany as an example of how their countries can cooperate.
Putin postpones milestone Victory Day military parade over coronavirus
President Vladimir Putin, citing the deepening coronavirus crisis, said on Thursday (16 April) Russia would postpone its 9 May celebrations including a huge military parade across Red Square to mark 75 years since the Soviet victory in World War Two.
Poland names new head of Jewish museum as tensions rise
Poland's government appointed a new director of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews on Thursday (27 February), as the ruling nationalists face accusations of politicising museums to reflect their view of history.
EU castigates Aalst carnival parade for ‘anti-Semitism’
The European Commission on Monday (24 February) slammed a Belgian street parade for featuring anti-Semitic floats that it said were "incompatible" with EU values.
Polish PM seeks visit to Russia for Smolensk plane crash and Katyn anniversaries
Poland’s prime minister said he wants to visit Russia to commemorate the victims of a World War Two massacre and 2010 plane crash, amid heightened tensions with Moscow after recent comments by Vladimir Putin about Poland’s historical role.
Russia not target in US army’s massive Europe deployment: NATO
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted Monday (3 February) that a massive transfer of US and allied troops to Eastern Europe as part of a military exercise was not aimed at Russia.
Days after Brexit, Macron visits Poland amid frosty ties
French President Emmanuel Macron visits Poland on Monday and Tuesday (3-4 February) in an effort to reset frosty ties at a time when the departure of Britain from the European Union is reshaping political alliances in the 27-member bloc.
Poland, Israel condemn resurgent anti-Semitism at Auschwitz commemoration
The presidents of Israel and Poland called on Monday (27 January) for greater efforts to combat anti-Semitism as the world marked 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp amid concerns over a global resurgence of anti-Jewish prejudice.
With anti-Semitism on the rise, Auschwitz liberation commemorated
World leaders join ageing Holocaust survivors in Poland on Monday (27 January) to mark 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp by Soviet troops, amid concerns over a global resurgence of anti-Semitism.
Russia’s Putin says Poland colluded with Hitler
President Vladimir Putin upped the ante in a war of words with Europe on Tuesday, accusing Poland of colluding with Hitler and of anti-Semitism.
Prague to remove statue of Soviet World War II marshal
A district assembly in Prague voted on Thursday (12 September) to remove a statue of a Soviet World War Two marshal and replace it with a more general memorial following a row that has drawn in the Czech president and Russian authorities.
Poland’s foreign ministry condemns attack on Israeli students
Poland's foreign ministry on Sunday (8 September) condemned violence against a group of Israeli students beaten at a Warsaw nightclub early on Saturday, following criticism that Polish leaders are not doing enough to denounce antisemitism.
At WWII anniversary, Germany asks forgiveness while Poland demands compensations
Germany's president asked for forgiveness for his country on Sunday (1 September) for the suffering of the Polish people during World War Two as Poland marked 80 years since the Nazi German invasion that unleashed the deadliest conflict in human history.
Trump skips trip to Poland as hurricane approaches Florida
US President Donald Trump abruptly called off a weekend trip to Poland on Thursday (29 August), saying he wanted to stay home and make sure the federal government is prepared for a looming hurricane headed for Florida.
Trump goes to Warsaw for sombre commemoration
US President Donald Trump, fresh from hob-nobbing with his G7 partners at a glitzy French resort town, will on Sunday (1 September) attend sombre commemorations in Warsaw of the outbreak of World War II 80 years ago.
The Munich sell-off and World War II: lessons learned?
In an op-ed based on her book “Score of the Second World War: Who started the war and when?” the famous Russian historian Natalia Narochnitskaya tells about the situation in Europe in the 1930s and the events that led to the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
Warsaw says Trump to attend invasion of Poland anniversary
Poland said on Thursday (18 July) US President Donald Trump would attend events in Warsaw marking the 80th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the country - though the White House said the trip was not yet confirmed.
World leaders gather in south England to remember D-Day
World leaders gather on the coast of southern England on Wednesday (5 June) to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history and a feat that helped bring World War Two to an end.
Chetnik gathering sparks outrage in Bosnia
A gathering of the ultranationalist Serb Chetnik Movement in the Bosnian town of Višegrad on Sunday (10 March), has sparked a wave of condemnation from inside Bosnia and from the international community.