Sergio Mattarella to Attend D-Day Ceremonies in Normandy
Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella, will join Western leaders in France on Thursday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the World War Two D-Day landings, which played a crucial role in liberating Europe from Nazi occupation.
Among the distinguished guests at the ceremony will be King Charles of the UK, US president Joe Biden, and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, representing the Allied powers whose troops carried out the largest amphibious invasion in history on 6 June 1944.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will also be in attendance, alongside approximately 200 D-Day veterans, aged between 96 and 104. The commemorations will provide an opportunity for a bilateral meeting between Biden and Zelensky ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in Italy.
The D-Day Landings
On 6 June 1944, around 156,000 Allied soldiers landed by sea and air on five different beaches in Normandy. The operation involved 73,000 American soldiers and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Despite the success of the operation, there were significant casualties, with 4,414 Allied soldiers killed and over 5,000 wounded.
The D-Day landings marked a turning point in the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War Two. Just two days prior, Allied forces had successfully liberated Rome from Nazi occupation, highlighting the momentum that led to the eventual victory.
