In addition to the President-elect of the United States Donald Trump, around forty heads of state and government will attend on Saturday the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, burned in April 2019, according to a non-exhaustive list published Thursday by the presidency French.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be there and will be received at the Elysée by President Emmanuel Macron, preceded by Donald Trump.
Many European leaders have confirmed their arrival: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Polish Presidents Andrzej Duda, Croatian Zoran Milanovic, Bulgarian Roumen Radev, Estonian Alar Karis, Finnish Alexander Stubb, and even Lithuanian Gitanas Nauseda.
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who has just finalized the agreement between the EU and Mercosur, finally declined the invitation. Among the expected crowned heads are the Belgian royal couple, Philippe and Mathilde, as well as Prince Albert of Monaco.
Prince William will also attend the reopening of the cathedral “on behalf of the United Kingdom”, Kensington Palace announced on Friday, specifying that his wife Kate would not accompany him to this ceremony.
The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinian, and the President of Georgia, Salomé Zourabichvili, will also be present, as well as the Prime Minister of Serbia, Milos Vucevic, the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof.
Several African leaders will also travel for this global event, including the President of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, as well as the Gabonese Brice Oligui Nguema and the Togolese Faure Gnassingbe.
Current US President Joe Biden will be represented by his wife Jill.