Ukraine invites high-ranking EU officials, leaders of Coalition of the Willing to Kyiv on May 9 as counter to Moscow parade – media

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government invited top European officials on May 9 to Kyiv as a show of diplomatic force against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual military parade in Moscow the same day, Politico said Monday.

According to the ezine, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on Monday extended the invitation to his European Union peers during a gathering in Luxembourg, urging them to “show our unity and resolve in the face of the biggest aggression in Europe since the Second World War.”

In addition, according to him, Zelenskyy would like to host leaders on May 9 from the coalition of the willing to “determine security guarantees” for Ukraine once a possible ceasefire with Russia has been agreed.

The publication, citing its own sources, reports that discussions are already ongoing regarding a possible visit to Ukraine in early May by heads of state, including future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

According to Russian media reports, Vladimir Putin has invited the leaders of Israel, China, Brazil, Slovakia and Serbia to join him in Moscow to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, but has not invited representatives of the United States and most EU member states.

As reported, on March 27, a summit of the Coalition of the Willing was held in Paris at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. About 30 countries were represented at it, discussing security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the war. The possible deployment of an international peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine was also discussed.