The presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will, after all, participate in the Victory Day events in Moscow. Earlier reports had suggested they would not attend the parade.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s press secretary Aibek Smadiyarov said on his Telegram channel that Tokayev would take part in the “ceremonial events” and hold a separate meeting with the Russian president to discuss “key issues of strategic cooperation.”
“The Kremlin expressed satisfaction with this decision by the Kazakh leader, calling his upcoming working visit to Moscow a ‘friendly step.’ A separate meeting between Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Vladimir Putin is planned as part of the visit,” Smadiyarov wrote.
The press service of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that he had departed for Moscow on a working visit.
“The program of the visit includes participation by the head of our state in ceremonial events marking the 81st anniversary of Victory in World War II,” the press release said.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka is already in Moscow. His schedule includes participation in the commemorative events and a meeting with Putin. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has also arrived in Moscow. He had previously stated that he would take part in a wreath-laying ceremony but would not attend the parade.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told TASS that Lukashenka, Tokayev, and Mirziyoyev would attend the parade on Red Square.
