WW2-ANNIVERSARY/RUSSIA-NAZARBAYEV-NIKOLIC Kazakh and Serbian presidents arrive in Moscow for WWII celebrations

Record ID: 156550

  • Title: WW2-ANNIVERSARY/RUSSIA-NAZARBAYEV-NIKOLIC Kazakh and Serbian presidents arrive in Moscow for WWII celebrations
  • Date: 8th May 2015
  • Summary: GUARD OF HONOUR MARCHING TO WELCOME NAZARBAYEV NAZARBAYEV WAITING NAZARBAYEV AND RUSSIAN OFFICIAL WALKING NAZARBAYEV AND RUSSIAN OFFICIAL APPROACHING TERMINAL BUILDING AIRPORT BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA48OJ2TS0B8J4BRJ08577UEPPL
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic arrived in Moscow on Friday (May 8) as Russia prepares to show off its mighty military strength at a large May 9 Victory parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the World War Two victory over Nazi Germany.
    This year's parade is marred with the shadow of worsening relations between Russia and the West, with many Western leaders not attending the celebrations in Moscow. The Western boycott is intended to show displeasure over President Vladimir Putin's support for pro-Russian separatists fighting government forces in east Ukraine.
    The guest list for the military parade has come to embody Russia's place in the world as it struggles to avoid being isolated over the events in east Ukraine.
    Since Western powers imposed economic sanctions on Russia last year, Moscow has accelerated attempts to build ties with Asia, Africa and South America, as well as warming up relations with its former Soviet-era allies.
    U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders are staying away but Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of many former Soviet republics - some of them autocratic rulers - are attending.
    It is a contrast to the 60th anniversary events in 2005, attended by the U.S., French and German leaders of the time - George W. Bush, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder.
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel will skip the parade but is expected to pay respects at a Moscow war memorial on Sunday (May 9).
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