A fiery rebuke
On Tuesday, Putin and Kim underscored their solidarity with Xi Jinping as they walked alongside him onto a viewing stand overlooking Tiananmen Square.
Along the way, the trio paused to greet and shake hands with five World War II veterans, some more than a century old, their presence serving as a living bridge to the sacrifices of a bygone generation.
The parade itself was intended to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s victory over Japan. Yet what began as a display of military might and historical remembrance quickly turned into a geopolitical flashpoint after President Donald Trump launched into a furious tirade on Truth Social.
Calling the parade “a hostile spectacle designed to humiliate the United States,” Trump accused Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang of forging “an unholy alliance that threatens peace and democracy worldwide.” He went further, suggesting that the U.S. would “respond in kind” with its own demonstrations of military strength in the coming weeks.
The president’s words immediately rippled across diplomatic circles, with analysts warning that his rhetoric could escalate already frayed relations between Washington and Beijing.
