Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it is “not a problem” that he was not invited to join other world leaders marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in northern france.
Mr Putin, who was invited to the 70th anniversary event in 2014, said he had “enough business” of his own in Russia.
The comments came after his government claimed D-Day was “not a game-changer”.
Russia often accuses the West of failing to properly acknowledge the Soviet Union's role in World War Two.
World leaders, including US President Donald Trump, attended Thursday's memorial, where they paid tribute to the Allied troops who attacked German forces on the coast of northern france on 6 June, 1944 in history's largest sea and air invasion.
Mr Putin joined the last major commemoration in 2014, but was not invited this year. Speaking at an economic forum in St Petersburg, he said that the lack of an invitation was not an issue.
“We also don't invite everyone to every event. Why should I be invited everywhere? I have enough business of my own here,” he said.
His remarks came a day after Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that the significance of D-Day in the outcome of the war should not be overplayed.
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