MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th May, 2019) The Kremlin has not yet received an invitation from France to attend celebrations dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings in World War II, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
"No, we have not yet received any invitation. I don't know if something was handed via diplomatic channels, but so far the Kremlin hasn't received anything," Peskov told reporters when asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was going to attend the D-Day celebrations.
Earlier in May, the Elysee Palace told Sputnik that France had not invited Putin to attend the celebrations since they would be led by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and not by the president.
The administration of the French president did not, however specify whether other Russian officials and representatives had been invited. A number of other foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump and outgoing UK Prime Minister Theresa May, are expected to be in attendance.
Putin took part in the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings back in 2014 and held talks with then-US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the event.
On June 6, 1944, the Western Allies carried out the largest seaborne invasion in history on the beaches of Normandy in northern France. This day, now called D-Day, marked the beginning of the liberation of Germany-occupied France and opening of the second front.
