- Donetsk to stage military parade on Victory Day
- Siberia launches flash mob to greet Merkel on Victory Day as she rejects parade invitation
- Twenty six heads of state confirm participation in Victory Day celebrations in Moscow
- Poland’s president will not attend Victory Day Parade in Moscow
- British PM has no plans of going to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations
- Victory Day celebration won’t be marred as some Western leaders refuse to attend — Kremlin
HELSINKI, March 25. /TASS/. Finland's President Sauli Niinisto has no plans to attend the Moscow celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War on May 9, the Finnish Telegraph Bureau reported on Wednesday.
The bureau quoted the president's office as saying that "the Ukrainian conflict and international situation" were the causes for Niinisto's refusal to take part in the celebrations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that 26 heads of state, including the leaders of India, South Africa, Mongolia, Vietnam. Cuba and North Korea, have already confirmed they will attend the celebrations in Moscow.
"Invitations to the celebrations were sent to 68 heads of state, as well as the UN, UNESCO, Council of Europe and EU chiefs," Lavrov said.