The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

In Minsk, U.S. servicemen marched together with Russian soldiers in the Victory Day parade in the Belarusian capital. Opening the May 9 parade, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said it was "deeply symbolic" that representatives of the U.S. and Russian armed forces were taking part. Forty members of the U.S. Air Force band were among more than 5,000 troops in the parade. The show of Allied unity in Minsk was in sharp contrast to the military parade in Moscow, which was shunned by the United States and most European countries because of Russia's role in the Ukraine conflict. Lukashenka, a close ally of Putin, had surprisingly announced that he also would not go to Moscow for the Victory Day parade. Belarus has close ties with Russia, but Lukashenka has tried recently to serve as a bridge to the West by hosting Ukraine peace talks. Russia Marks Victory Over Nazi Germany With Military Parade Джон Теффт возложил цветы к Могиле неизвестного сол