Hundreds of thousands of revelers took to the streets across Germany on Monday to celebrate Carnival dressed up in colorful costumes, amid an abundance of candy, flowers and alcohol. Many of the processions showcased floats that addressed global political topics with biting sarcasm.

Revelers take part in the Rose Monday carnival parade in Cologne, Germany, March 3, 2025. Rose Monday is the biggest one of its kind held during the annual carnival season in this city of historical heritages. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Germany's largest Carnival parade on Shrove Monday, known in Germany as Rose Monday, kicked off in the western German city of Cologne on Monday morning. This year's festivities come amid a tense security situation following a string of deadly attacks in recent months,