Mitsotakis in call for defense of freedom and democracy at D-Day commemoration
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called for the defense of freedom and democracy on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
“On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we pay tribute to the heroes who fought against the forces of fascism in the greatest naval, air and land operation in history,” he said, in a post on X.
“We honor their sacrifice. They fought for freedom and democracy, and it is our duty to continue defending these values.”
Mitsotakis earlier attended an event commemorating the June 1944 landing of Allied forces in Normandy.
In addition to some 200 D-Day veterans, leaders from all over the West attended the event, including Britain’s King Charles III, US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 Allied soldiers invaded France by sea and air to drive out the forces of Nazi Germany, coming ashore at five beaches codenamed Omaha, Juno, Sword, Utah and Gold or dropping from the sky.
With the numbers of veterans fast dwindling – many are aged 100 or more – this is likely to be the last major ceremony in Normandy honouring them in their presence.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, touching off Europe’s biggest armed conflict since World War Two, was not invited. In a speech, however, Macron paid tribute to the contribution of the Red Army and soldiers across the Soviet Union to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Leaders were set to adopt a declaration saying democracy was once more under threat in Europe and promising to defend freedom and democracy.
Thousands of service personnel from Britain, the United States, Canada and other nations were killed, as well as their German foes and thousands of civilians across Normandy. [Kathimerini/Reuters]
