President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow Saturday, and officially invited him to attend the inauguration of the New Suez Canal Project expected to be held in August. The two leaders followed up on mutual trade and agricultural business, as well as the establishment of a free trade zone between Egypt and the Eurasian Customs Union (EACU). Al-Sisi conducted a series of meetings with world leaders during his presence in Moscow at the Grand Kremlin Palace after Russian Victory Day celebrations. According to the Egyptian presidential office, Al-Sisi met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in addition to presidents of other countries, such as Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Czech Republic, India, Venezuela, Vietnam, Armenia, China and Tajikistan. Al-Sisi was in Moscow to support Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid an absence of Western presidents. Saturday's Russian military parade included 16,000 ‘soviet' soldiers, in addition to the symbolic participation of India, China and Serbia. Nearly 190 military equipments were displayed, as well as 150 helicopters and RS-24 Russian missiles. The Moscow Victory Day Parade takes place in Red Square to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Nazi Germany's capitulation in 1945. The annual parade marks the Allies' victory on the Eastern Front at the end of the Second World War. Putin was in Cairo in a visit last February, during which he announced an agreement between Egypt and Russia on cooperation to establish a nuclear power plant. The joint project includes the construction of a station, personnel training and provision of equipment to generate electricity.
