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Russia to invite Ukraine’s Zelensky to attend 75th anniversary of WWII victory events

Seventeen foreign leaders agree to attend 75th anniversary of WWII victory celebrations, according to the Kremlin

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky Official website of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine/CC BY 4.0

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky

© Official website of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine/CC BY 4.0

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. Russia will invite Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to attend the celebrations timed for the 75th anniversary of the WWII victory over the Nazis, to be held in Moscow on May 9, 2020, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Friday.

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"We will send [an invitation] to the President of Ukraine," he said.

Meanwhile, 17 state leaders have confirmed that they would attend the event, according to Yuri Ushakov. "Around 17 leaders of different countries, and I mean leaders, have officially confirmed their attendance to the commemorative occasion in Moscow on May 9," he said.

"It is expected to be a major international event devoted to a cherished date for us and for everyone," Ushakov stressed. The aide noted that among those who confirmed their participation are the leaders of India, Cuba, France, the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Belarus, Armenia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. Ushakov added that "many leaders of the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States — TASS]" also confirmed their attendance.

As for US President Donald Trump, he has not given a formal response yet to the invitation, Ushakov told reporters. "No, he hasn’t," he said when asked by TASS whether the US president is among the leaders who have confirmed their participation. "The Americans have not responded yet."

On August 16, Ushakov said that Moscow had sent an invitation to Trump to attend celebrations dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory over Nazism. Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Trump to attend the Victory Day celebrations next year at their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. Trump reacted to the invitation "very positively," Ushakov noted.

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