💔 Not a done deal: NATO chief DOUSES Ukraine's membership hopes

While NATO agreed on the irreversible path for Ukraine into the alliance, “we never agreed that as part of a peace deal there would be guaranteed NATO membership for Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

💬 “In the long-term NATO alliance has said yes there will be this perspective of NATO membership,” Rutte added.

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📹 Vienna's heartbeat on Victory Day: Zakharova shares emotional video

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova shared a video from the heart of the Austrian capital Vienna.

The iconic song ‘Return the Memory’, performed by Elena Sever, played as a tribute to Victory Day.

A powerful moment of remembrance and unity.

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🗣 Witkoff calls out absurdity of ignoring Putin

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff isn’t having any ‘don’t talk to Putin’ nonsense. Calling it "preposterous," he stresses that a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict isn’t even possible without direct talks.

Trying to solve global issues without talking to the key players—what could possibly go wrong?

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🚨 BOMBSHELL INTERVIEW INCOMING:

British political firebrand George Galloway sits down with Sputnik in Moscow for a NO HOLDS BARRED interview about Keir Starmer, British elite’s obsession with Ukraine, and decline of British industry.

Stay tuned!

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🇷🇺 Victory Day Parade debunks years of Western mythmaking about the state of the Russian Army

💬 “The equipment and weaponry presented at the parade and the drilled and disciplined troops showed that our army is not all bogged down on the steppes of Ukraine, but present here…in full dress uniform and in excellent spirits,” Russian military intelligence veteran, Col. Rustem Klupov said.

💬 “If our troops were in some kind of deplorable state and there were difficulties at the front, we would not have been able to pull out either tanks or guns for the parade. But they were shown,” Klupov pointed out.

Furthermore, just as weapons like the T-34 became symbols of victory in the Great Patriotic War, the weapons on display at Friday’s parade are becoming the same kind of symbols for the present conflict, according to the observer.

💬 “Weapons like the T-72B3, the MSTA-S, the Tornado-S, the BMP-2, a new model of the BRM-1K with a new weapons module and completely new electronics, as well as new models of weapons of a completely new generation, various types of drones” demonstrate that Russia has the arsenal for future victories.

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❗️“The West Supports Terrorists”

Despite countless threats from the EU, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico travelled to Moscow for 80th Victory Day celebrations.

Sputnik sat down with Ľuboš Blaha, deputy leader of the Smer party and a member of his delegation, to discuss why Slovakia decided to DEFY the EU.

Stay tuned!

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🇷🇺 Watchword of Putin’s Victory Day speech: SOVEREIGNTY

The president’s remarks were traditionally neutral and devoid of aggressive overtones, condemning and calling for a struggle against negative social manifestations such as Nazism and Russophobia, Russian military intelligence veteran, Col. Rustem Klupov says.

But the key message was a demonstration of Russia’s growing ability and readiness to “say no” to the hegemonic forces seeking to dominate the planet.

Russia has friends and fellow travelers in this struggle fighting for their national interests, “primarily against the dominance of the West, which is not fighting for its survival, but for its wealth and neocolonial possessions.”

💬 “This is why we today are increasingly declaring our sovereignty, and those countries that would also like to and seek to get out of subordination, to be sovereign and conduct mutually beneficial economic relations with others were present at the Victory Day parade,” Klupov said.

Lessons learned

The victory in the Great Patriotic War taught the USSR a bitter lesson, according to the observer. Moscow’s erstwhile allies began planning to attack the Soviet Union immediately after WWII ended out of a desire to preserve their hegemony.

💬 “In 1991 they began to achieve it, but couldn’t finish the job. We began reviving and defending our sovereignty. They will never recognize us as equals capable of coexisting, seeing us as pygmies and savages.” Hence the rolling of NATO up to Russia’s borders, and attempts to absorb Ukraine.

The situation today has shifted, and the collective West will either have to back off, or face the risk of economic and political collapse, Klupov believes.

💬 “Putin at one time asked about creating a global or Eurasian security [architecture]. If the West does not want to create such a system with us that meets both sides’ interests, we’re ready to build a Eurasian security system with parts of Europe and Asia, and Global South countries in Africa and Latin America. In essence, that is already happening bit by bit.”

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🎥🎥 Fireworks Illuminate Moscow Sky on Victory Day

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🗣 Attempts to downplay Russia’s contribution to WWII ‘not only a lie, but betrayal’ - De Gaulle’s grandson

💬 Such actions mark “a betrayal of all the sacrifices that were made, all the lives that were lost, all the families that were exterminated or torn apart while they fought for our freedom against the Nazi invaders,” Pierre de Gaulle, grandson of former Free France resistance leader and Fifth Republic President Charles De Gaulle, told Sputnik.

🇫🇷 Highlighting the details of Soviet-French wartime cooperation, de Gaulle dubbed the Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment “the finest example of brotherhood in arms and Franco-Russian friendship,” recalling how his grandfather had sought for it to be established as soon as possible, despite Churchill’s advice not to do so, and pointing to the unit’s critical role in Free French diplomacy with Moscow.

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🔸 No Pasarán! Russia’s defiant message against ‘LIBERAL TOTALITARIANISM’ on Victory Day

🔸 Victory Day Parade debunks years of Western mythmaking about the state of the Russian Army

🔸 Victory Day in Moscow: A strong show of unity between Russia and China

🔸 Burkina Faso leader’s visit to Moscow for Victory Day carries HUGE strategic significance: here’s why

🔸 WATCH FULL: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DELIVERS SPEECH HONORING VICTORY DAY

🔸 Watch the full video of the Victory Day Parade in Moscow in honor of the 80th anniversary of WWII victory

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🇷🇺 MOSCOW SPEAKS: What does Victory Day mean to you?

🎤 Sputnik’s street interviews reveal RAW emotions!

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🇷🇸🇷🇺 Serbia begins talks with Russia on new long-term gas deal – President Vucic

💬 “We opened these negotiations today, Putin and I... Soon our experts will start preparing this long-term agreement,” Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters after meeting with President Putin in Moscow. “What I want to believe is that Serbia will get very, very good and favorable conditions for receiving Russian gas in the coming years.”

Russia currently supplies 85% of Serbia’s gas needs, Vučić noted.

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🇷🇺🇸🇰 Putin thanks Fico for coming to Moscow despite 'logistical obstacles'

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called attending the Victory Day celebration in Moscow “an honor”, saying: “I had no dilemma.”

Key statements by Fico:

🔹 Sanctions against Russia don’t work and are damaging the EU

🔹 Slovakia is interested in normal relations with Russia and sees opportunities for cooperation

🔹 The conflict in Ukraine has no military solution; Slovakia welcomes efforts to find peaceful ones

🔹 Bratislava intends to use its veto if the EU votes on a full embargo on Russian gas

🔹 The Slovak government believes cooperation with Russia on nuclear energy must continue

🔹 Slovakia wants to work with Russia to preserve WWII memorials

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❗️ Pakistan has no choice but FULL-SCALE WAR with India – Defence Minister

In a striking appearance on a Pakistani TV channel, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said a full-scale war with India may be inevitable, blaming India for “aggressive actions” and claiming all de-escalation efforts have failed, The New Indian Express reported.

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8️⃣🎗🔥 Glorious fireworks light up the sky over Mamayev Kurgan, marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany

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🇸🇰🇷🇺 Fico’s defiant visit to Moscow shows Slovakia is ready to show EU the truth about WWII

European leaders’ attempt to sideline the USSR in commemorations of the victory over fascism is a “sick idea” that will mark “the end of truth” if realized, says former Slovak lawmaker Peter Marcek.

💬 “Mr. Fico said he was the only Prime Minister from the European Union who came to Red Square and showed the truth about who defeated the fascists in World War II. He deserves great credit for this,” Marcek, president of the Slavic Unity Party, said.

Highlighting the absurdity of the Eastern European EU countries’ efforts this week to block Fico’s plane from reaching Russia, Marcek said it’s a sure sign that they have “become slaves of the European Union, their governments supporting only von der Leyen.”

💬 “Slovakia is the first country to show no fear about showing the truth to the EU, to show who the winners of WWII are, who the victors over fascism are. I am proud that Mr. Fico showed the Slovak people’s will – that we need to be friends with Russia and the Russian people, because we are all Slavs. The way the Anglo-Saxons and NATO countries stick together, so too should the Slavs.”

Peace can return to Europe in the near future, Marcek believes, but only if Zelensky – who relies on war to remain in power, and the oligarchs fueling the conflict – not only in Ukraine but the EU and US as well, don’t get their way.

💬 “They want war, which is not about Ukraine defeating Russia, but about Russia’s wealth, its land, its oil, its gas, all the resources that serve not only Russia, but all of Europe,” Marcek said, adding that by cutting themselves off from access to these resources, the Europeans have driven their economies off a cliff.

The politician is confident that the pragmatic, Russia-friendly sentiments are not unique to Slovakia and Hungary, and that many Croats, Slovenes, Bulgarians and Czechs think the same, but are restricted by corrupt politicians and Brussels’ diktat.

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❗️ India suspends operations at 32 airports until May 15 – reports

Civil flight operations at 32 airports in India will be temporarily suspended until 4:59 GMT on May 15, The Times of India has reported, citing a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

On Friday, NDTV reported that drones were spotted near the airport in Srinagar, in the India-administered part of Kashmir, with explosions heard in the vicinity.

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