INTERNATIONAL: President Vladimir Putin brings shame upon the memory of millions of Russian soldiers who fought against fascism during World War Two, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late on Sunday 8th May.

On Sunday, Europe commemorated the 77th anniversary of the end of World War Two on Sunday. Russia celebrates it on May 9th. Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender came into force at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, which was already May 9 in Moscow.

"Quite frankly, on Victory in Europe Day, when we all celebrate the victory over fascism of so many decades ago, Vladimir Putin is bringing shame upon the memory of the millions of Russians who fought and died in the fight for freedom and the fight against fascism," Trudeau told Reuters in an interview.

"So whatever he says tomorrow (May 9) is irrelevant because history will bear out that he is upending and going against the very values that so many people fought and died for."

Speaking during his visit to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trudeau said that the world needs to do everything possible to ensure that Putin loses his war in Ukraine.

"He is making a terrible mistake," Trudeau said when asked what he would tell Putin on the eve of Russia's commemorations of the end of the war that Moscow, which Moscow calls the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45.

"He is inflicting atrocities upon civilians and it's all something that he is doing because he thought he could win. But he can only lose."

Earlier, Trudeau, in his unannounced visit to Ukraine, said Canada will provide new weapons and equipment for Ukraine and will reopen its embassy in Kyiv, the country's capital.

Putin says that he launched a "special military operation" on Feb. 24 to disarm Ukraine and rid it of anti-Russian nationalism fomented by the West. Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an unprovoked war.