It was a larger than usual crowd at the Russian Embassy on the evening of May 7 on the eve of Victory Day on May 9, commemorating the end of World War II. There was a good deal of entertainment, including many songs that were popular with the soldiers and the general Soviet population during the days of the Second World War. The crowd also included a number of U.S. and Soviet veterans from that period, including one American who had also been present at the meeting of the U.S. and Soviet troops on the Elbe River in 1945. You could see many of the older people mouthing the words to the various songs as they were being sung by the various soloists. This included a couple of solos by the two deputy chiefs of mission of the Russian Embassy, who were definitely in good voice. They ended the singing with a rendition of “Coming In On a Wing and a Prayer,” which was written here during World War II but which also became a popular song in the Soviet Union at the time.
Most delightful was the dancing of a young mixed Cossack dance troop, the Kaleidscopes, whose age ranged from probably 7 or 8 to the early 20s. They did traditional Cossack songs with the appropriate acrobatics as well as some elegant waltz numbers.
Ambassador A.N. Darchiev delivered a brief speech, in which he warned sharply against the glorification of Nazism which is on the rise in many Western nations, while also expressing optimism over the possibilities of U.S.-Russia relations. “Contacts and dialogue are ongoing,” he said. “Frankly, it’s not easy, but it’s happening. That’s the most important thing. The process is ongoing.”
He noted that the U.S.-Soviet cooperation was also underlined in the recent call between President Trump and President Putin. “And the high point of our relations during the Great Patriotic War [World War II] serves as an example and a positive event that undoubtedly contributes to the normalization of our bilateral relations,” Darchiev said. “Again, the process is slow, and world events also have tragic implications, but if Russia and the United States stand together, and if China joins us, I believe we will resolve all issues,” he said.
