Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Global, but Not Western Leaders to Attend Beijing WWII Anniversary Parade

More than 20 foreign leaders will take part in China’s commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, according to Xinhua citing the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The commemorations will include a large-scale military parade on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Among the participants are: Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Leaders from Asia and Beyond Expected in Beijing China will also welcome the heads of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, the Maldives, Cuba, and Pakistan. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is also expected to attend. However, no Western leaders are anticipated to participate in the commemorations.