European nations marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, on Thursday with ceremonies that varied across the continent, reflecting how the end of World War II still carries contrasting meanings eight decades later.

In Germany, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told parliament "We are all children of the 8th of May" during a solemn Bundestag address.

Observances were held in towns and villages across France, and in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron led a televised tribute honoring the war dead, with some of the last surviving veterans in attendance.

The events in France marked the historic moment when church bells rang across the country at 3 pm on May 8, 1945 when the surrender of Nazi Germany was confirmed over the radio by Charles de Gaulle, then head of the provisional government.

The date has been a public holiday in France since being reinstated in 1981, after being abolished in 1959 in the context of Franco-German reconciliation.

The Paris ceremony included a minute's silence, a rendition of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, and a speech from Macron on "the values that triumphed in 1945".

Military bands performed ahead of a parade that featured French armed forces personnel, and concluded with flypast.

France's elaborate commemoration stands out among European nations, many of which observe VE Day with less ceremony, or on different days, reflecting the complex legacy of the conflict across the continent, according to commentary in The Guardian newspaper.

The observances take on new significance in 2025, as challenges to postwar international alliances emerge under US President Donald Trump's administration.

The developments serve as a reminder that the continent's hard-won peace remains both historically recent and increasingly fragile, said The Guardian.

The French Defense Ministry emphasized in a statement this week that the 80th anniversary carries "more than ever, a double responsibility: To the last surviving witnesses of the war, and to the younger generation".

The ministry stressed that in 2025, VE Day commemorations must "honor the sacrifices of those who fought and suffered — but also transmit their testimonies and their memories to the young people of today".

Across the English Channel seaway, the United Kingdom began its commemorations early, with many landmarks, including Buckingham Palace in London and Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, bathed in red, white, and blue lights on Tuesday.

The UK celebrations, which started with a Royal Air Force flypast over London on Monday's public holiday, continued through to VE Day on Thursday.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales joined Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Westminster Abbey for a thanksgiving service, following a nationwide two-minute silence.