This year’s commemoration of a key turning point in World War II takes on special significance as the war continues in Ukraine.
Veterans and world leaders gathered in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, the day more than 150,000 Allied soldiers arrived in France by sea and air, driving out Nazi German forces.
This year’s commemoration of a key turning point in World War II takes on special significance as war rages in Ukraine: Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was not invited.
“This event and this day are a reminder of the courage and determination shown in the pursuit of freedom and democracy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a post on X, announcing his arrival at the ceremony in France on Thursday.
“Allies defended European freedom then, and Ukrainians do so now. Unity prevailed then, and true unity can prevail today,” he added.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Britain’s King Charles, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak and many other politicians took part in the day of mourning, which began at around 8.30am GMT on the British side in Vers-sur-Mer.
In Arromanches-les-Bains, one of the beaches where Allied forces landed 80 years ago, a small crowd gathered on the beach as the tide went out Thursday morning.
They were joined by a convoy of World War II jeeps, and then an amphibious vehicle carrying a bagpiper blaring a plaintive tune came ashore.
With a rapidly declining veteran population, many of whom are over 100 years old, this will likely be the last major ceremony to honour veterans in attendance at Normandy.
About 200 veterans, mostly American and British, are due to take part in the day-long ceremony on a windy beach still scarred by the fighting that erupted on D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in history in which thousands of Allied soldiers died.
Among the attendees was 101-year-old Bob Gibson, who was part of the second wave of soldiers who landed on Utah Beach in Normandy.
“It seems like yesterday. You wouldn’t believe what I saw. It’s a terrible sight. Some of the young people didn’t even make it to the big beach… It wakes me up sometimes in the middle of the night,” he told Reuters.
King Charles, who led a memorial service in Ver-sur-Mer, said that while the number of surviving veterans is dwindling, “this never diminishes our duty to never forget what they fought for and what they achieved for all of us.”
Speaking in both English and French, he paid tribute to the “unimaginable numbers” of French civilians who died in the Battle of Normandy, as well as the courage and sacrifice of the French Resistance.
“Let us pray that such sacrifices will never be made again,” he said. “Our gratitude is never-ending and our respect is eternal.”
Speaking during a campaign stop ahead of the UK general election on July 4, Mr Sunak paid tribute to veterans, saying their “actions liberated a continent and built a better world”.
“You risked everything, and we owe you everything,” he said. “We can never hope to repay that debt, but we can and we must promise to never forget.”
At the British ceremony, veterans filed in to applause as they took their seats decorated with bright red poppies.
Speaking at a Canadian ceremony at Juno Beach near Curry-sur-Mer, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the world must continue to stand up for democracy.
“Democracy is still under threat, threatened by invaders who want to redraw borders,” he said. “Our way of life did not come about by chance, and it will not continue without effort.”
As war rages in the Middle East and elsewhere, some visitors prayed for peace as they paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.
“It’s very moving to see so many young people buried here,” said Brigitte Perdrix, 66, from the nearby city of Trouville.
“The tribute to them would be to stop the ongoing atrocities and wars. It would be like placing roses on each of their graves.”