World leaders, veterans commemorate 80th anniversary of Normandy landings

World leaders paid tribute to veterans and pledged to continue to stand for democracy as they marked the 80th anniversary of the June 6, 1944, D-Day landings, when more than 150,000 Allied soldiers invaded France by sea and air to drive out the forces of Nazi Germany, Reuters reports.

With the numbers of veterans, many aged 100 or more, fast dwindling, this is likely to be the last major ceremony in Normandy honouring them in their presence, the report adds.

For the commemorative events French president Emmanuel Macron is hosting US President Joe Biden, Britain's King Charles and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Prince William, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others. Russian President Vladimir Putin was not invited.

Among the 4500 guests there are about 200 veterans, mostly from the US, Britain, Canada and France.