Remembering Armistice Day in Europe: Freedom must be obeyed and defended

BRUSSELS – As armed conflict rages again on their continent, many European leaders marked the end of World War I 106 years ago, warning that freedoms, often taken for granted, must be respected and protected.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, both leaders of nuclear-armed nations, were under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where dozens of wreaths were touched by a milky light and an eternal flame glowed to honor the sacrifice of the unknown French soldiers. Who died in the first world conflict. Nearly 10 million soldiers were killed in that war.

Starmer said, “I am honored to be in Paris to stand in solidarity with President Macron in tribute to the martyrs of the First World War, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Britain's Defense Secretary John Haley told Sky News that the ceremony was a reminder that “we can never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy in Europe”.

World War I was fought against a German-led coalition that included France, the globe-spanning British Empire, Russia, and the United States, along with the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. Leaders from as far afield as Australia, Canada and South Africa participated in the commemoration.

Sometimes thousands died in a single day in the fields of Flanders, in northern France or across the border in Belgium, and hardly moved in four years. A similar massacre was commemorated beneath the Ypres Menin Gate in western Belgium, which is inscribed with the names of some 55,000 soldiers whose remains have never been found.

Yet the horror of the loss of life was in stark contrast to the gratitude of regained freedom for which the soldiers paid the ultimate price.

“This was the dilemma facing those whose names are on these walls. In 1914, should they fight to preserve values ​​and a way of life in which there was a place for everyone? Or should they accept a false peace dominated by dictatorship?” asked Benoît Mautry, president of the Last Post association, which ensures that a bugler plays tribute to the fallen under the gate every day — until today.

“We all benefit from their terrible sacrifice, so we remember them with gratitude,” Mowtry said.

Just a few hours ago, the memory had intruded on reality.

Russian glide bombs, drones and a ballistic missile tore through towns in southern and eastern Ukraine, killing at least six civilians and injuring around 30, in a war already deep into its third year, with no signs of an end in sight.

Macron and Starmer instead discussed “how to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position over the winter,” Starmer's office said. Elysee said strengthening European security amid Russia's continued aggression and the two leaders' “determination to support Ukraine steadily and as long as necessary” were discussed.

This is a conflict where Russia has threatened to use nuclear weapons more than once.

“As we witness ongoing conflicts around the world, some leaders have signaled the use of weapons of mass destruction,” Mautry said. “Many believe we are closer to World War III than at any time in the last 75 years.”

In Paris, the same points of remembrance were made in a solemn ceremony – the first time a British leader had attended a Paris commemoration since General Charles de Gaulle hosted Winston Churchill in 1944.

Elysée said Macron was grateful for Starmer's presence at the Armistice Day ceremony, which this year marked 120 years since the Entente cordiale between Britain and France. The statement said the two leaders celebrated the “shared values ​​of Franco-British friendship” which had come under pressure due to Brexit, the UK's decision to leave the European Union, of which France is a key member.

Starmer also announced that the British government has earmarked more than $12.8 million for next year's 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe and the defeat of Japan that ended World War II.

Contribution: Thomas Adamson and Sylvie Corbett