PARIS (Sputnik) — French President Francois Hollande is scheduled to chair a regional summit on the Caribbean island of Martinique and is not expected to attend Saturday's festivities, according to previous reports.
"The response to the Russian authorities' invitation is currently under review," Romain Nadal told reporters.
Russia invited a number of world leaders to attend the parade in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's capitulation and the end of World War II in Europe.
Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov said earlier that at least 25 countries had accepted Moscow's invitation to attend the Victory Day celebrations, expected to be the largest of its kind in modern Russian history.
Several heads of state, however, rejected the invitation on the grounds that they believe Russia is behind the year-long conflict in Ukraine, an accusation Moscow has consistently denied.
