The world must draw lessons from the past and work together to beat the coronavirus pandemic, European leaders urged as the continent marked 75 years since the end of World War II in Europe.
With parades and commemoration events cancelled or scaled down as part of measures to contain the outbreak, Europe and the United States marked the victory over Nazi Germany in sombre mood.
In Berlin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel kept their distance as they paused in front of wreaths at Neue Wache - the country's main memorial to the victims of war and dictatorship.
Steinmeier then delivered an outdoor speech calling on nations to remember how they joined forces to fight the tyranny of Nazism and said the same unity was needed to defeat a virus that has killed over 270,000 people.
"For us Germans, 'never again' means 'never again alone'," he said.
"We want more, not less cooperation in the world - also in the fight against the pandemic."
In Britain, one of the countries hardest hit by the virus in Europe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also drew wartime parallels with the battle against the pandemic.
"On this anniversary, we are engaged in a new struggle against the coronavirus which demands the same spirit of national endeavour that you exemplified 75 years ago," he said in a letter to veterans.
Britain's famed Red Arrows performed a flypast over central London, trailing red, white and blue smoke while broadcasters marked a nationwide two minutes of silence.
Queen Elizabeth II will make a televised address to the nation at 2000 GMT, the same time that her father, king George VI, gave a radio address marking VE day in 1945.
Muted commemorations
The muted commemorations come as the continent grapples with its biggest crisis since World War II - this time an invisible enemy that has sickened more than 3.8 million worldwide.
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron attended a small ceremony at the Arc of Triumph on a near-deserted Champs-Elysees.
In the US, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will join a wreath-laying ceremony in Washington, DC.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country celebrates Victory Day on May 9, recorded a special video message for the Austrian people to mark the anniversary, wishing them "happiness, peace and prosperity."
The message, broadcast on Austrian TV, also touched on the Covid-19 crisis.
"We are all fighting against this epidemic and mutual support is very important at this difficult time," Putin said.
Russia had originally planned a huge military display on its May 9 Victory Day, with world leaders including Macron on the guest list.
But now only a flypast will take place over the Red Square in Moscow, as the country becomes Europe's new hotspot of coronavirus infections.
Putin will on Saturday lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial before making a TV address.