Photo: Reuters
In many European countries it is a day of remembrance, not a national holiday, but ceremonial events are held. In France, it is a public holiday. In Berlin and other countries, May 8 is celebrated as the Day of Liberation from National Socialism and is a working day.
In such countries as Russia, Belarus, the holiday is still solemnly celebrated on May 9. In Moldova, May 9 is officially celebrated as Europe Day, while a significant part of society continues to celebrate it as Victory Day. In Central Asian countries of the post-Soviet space it is also a holiday and an official day off.
In Uzbekistan this day is officially called the Day of Remembrance and Honors. In Kazakhstan, the holiday retains the name Victory Day. In Turkmenistan in 2026, May 9 is an official state holiday but a working day.
In 2026, the commemoration takes place against the backdrop of media discussions about the significance of this date for modern Europe. This year, the May 8 and 9 celebrations take place amidst a complex international environment.
Commemorations in Europe
In France, President Emmanuel Macron led the final ceremony in Paris for his current presidential term. He traditionally laid a wreath at the monument to General de Gaulle on Place Clemenceau, after which he proceeded to the Champs Elysees accompanied by the Horse Guards. At the Arc de Triomphe, the President honored the memory of the fallen at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and re-lit the Eternal Flame.
Official Berlin also marked the Day of Remembrance. The main commemorative events and wreath-laying took place at the Brandenburg Gate and key Soviet memorials (in Tiergarten and Treptow Park, where posters banning Soviet symbols of World War II were hung). Politicians’ speeches called for the defense of democracy, human dignity and freedom. The state parliaments held special sessions on the lessons of Hour Zero and the end of the Holocaust on German soil.
In Great Britain, officials and veterans’ organizations held a national minute of silence. Local parades of re-enactors and veterans took place, as well as church services emphasizing the preservation of historical memory.
In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, May 8 is a public holiday (Victory Day). The countries’ top leaders participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the national memorials on Vitkov Hill in Prague and the monuments to the Slovak National Uprising.
Poland, too, has officially celebrated National Victory Day on May 8 since 2015, although discussions about the format of the celebrations continue annually.
