The shadow of the war in Ukraine will loom large over Beijing’s WWII parade next week, transforming a historical commemoration into a forum on modern conflict. The event’s most high-profile guests will be North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The parade on Wednesday, marking the 80th anniversary of the war’s end, has been boycotted by the United States and major Western European nations. Their refusal to attend is a direct protest against Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
This context makes Kim Jong Un’s visit particularly significant. As a key supplier of ammunition to Russia for its war effort, his presence alongside Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is a blatant show of support for Moscow.
The visit is also crucial for North Korea’s own interests, as Kim seeks to bolster his alliance with China, his main economic backer. The parade will thus serve as a complex intersection of historical memory, current conflict, and strategic calculation.