The leaders of Ukraine, Belarus, the United States and Britain will not attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9, a Kremlin official said on Tuesday.
Vladimir Kozhin, head of the presidential property management administration, said that a CIS summit would take place on May 8, the eve of Victory Day, but some of the leaders would have to return to their respective countries to participate in events to mark the 65th anniversary of victory in World War Two.
"This refers to Ukraine and Belarus," he said, adding that the Russian leadership understood their motives.
He also said U.S. President Barack Obama would not be in Moscow for the event and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had declined the invitation "in connection with parliamentary elections."
He also said the guest list had not yet been finalized.
MOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti)
