President Sisi heads to Moscow to attend Russia’s Victory Day commemorations

CAIRO – 8 May 2025: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is traveling to Moscow to participate in Russia’s Victory Day commemorations on Friday, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

Russia is marking the 80th anniversary of its World War II Victory Day, celebrating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in the war, which lasted from 1939 to 1945.

The commemorations include a traditional military parade scheduled for Friday.

The Kremlin on Tuesday announced a guest list of 29 foreign leaders invited to attend, including Sisi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

From Europe, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are expected to attend.

Leaders from numerous Arab and African countries are also scheduled to participate, including those from Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Congo, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Equatorial Guinea.

Other guests include the leaders of Indonesia, Bosnia, Cuba, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

President Putin previously announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine in commemoration of Victory Day, effective from May 8 until May 10.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said he signed a joint declaration on a strategic partnership between Egypt and Greece during his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/szo7ECECsn

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 8, 2025

Sisi's visit to Russia follows a successful one-day visit to Greece on Wednesday, where he held productive talks with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Those talks culminated in the signing of a joint declaration on a strategic partnership between Egypt and Greece.

Greece visit also marked the launch of the inaugural meeting of both countries' Supreme Council of Cooperation.

The two countries agreed during the visit to enhance their cooperation in energy, economy, trade, investment, tourism, technology, and entrepreneurship, as well as security and migration.