Moscow does not expect any foreign leaders to attend its Victory Day celebrations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the state-run RIA Novosti news outlet on Monday.
Every year on May 9, Russia celebrates Victory Day to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War II. In Moscow, the day is marked with a massive parade through the city center, showcasing the Russian military’s tanks, planes, artillery and soldiers.
Peskov had previously said that the Kremlin did not invite any heads of state to Victory Day this year.
Foreign attendance at the parade has dwindled in recent years as a result of Russia’s role in the eastern Ukraine conflict and its annexation of Crimea. In 2018, Serbian President Alexander Vucic and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were the only two heads of state at the parade, while in 2017, Moldovan President Igor Dodon was the only leader to visit Moscow for Victory Day.