Dear Mr. President,

I regret to inform you that I will not be able to participate in the celebrations dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. As you know, I accepted your invitation to attend the ceremonies with pleasure. However, the ongoing coronavirus-related situation prevents me from making the planned trip.

In view of the above, I decided to refrain from my visit to Moscow, which, as you know, had been discussed in all detail and agreed upon between our administrations.

It would have been a great honor for me to attend the Victory Day Parade. I am confident that millions of citizens of our countries will follow that ceremonious event, going back to the 1945 in mind when our grandfathers proudly walked through the Red Square in a victorious procession. The victory in the Great Patriotic War is our common heritage, which unites our peoples and provides a strong foundation for continued friendship between our future generations.

I look forward to meeting you in the nearest future in order to discuss issues on the agenda of our two countries’ allied partnership.

Mr. President, please accept my best wishes for robust health and every success in your activities.