Jill Biden, Royalty But No Vladimir Putin: Top Guests At The Paris Olympics

France is preparing to welcome over a hundred heads of state and government, royalty and US First Lady Jill Biden for the Summer Olympics which begin with a dazzling ceremony on the river Seine on Friday. No Russian official representing Vladimir Putin's government has been invited due to the Kremlin's war against Ukraine, while an Israeli delegation will be heavily protected as tensions rage over Israel's continuing bombardment of Gaza. "We are ready to welcome the world," said Samuel Ducroquet, France's ambassador for Sports.

Europeans but no Russia

Russia, long a Summer Olympics powerhouse, has been banned from the Paris Games in response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, but a tiny squad of neutral athletes will represent the country.

War-torn Ukraine has yet to announce whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the three-hour ceremony.

The new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who is keen to strengthen ties with France, will be in the stands overlooking the Seine to watch the spectacular river parade.

Paris 2024 "is a big event for France but also for the UK," said Menna Rawlings, the British ambassador to France, adding that around 500,000 tickets had been sold in Britain.

Other European leaders expected to attend include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy's president Sergio Mattarella and Finland's Alexander Stubb, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

US first lady

US President Joe Biden, 81, who has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and is recovering from Covid, will not fly to Paris, but US First Lady Jill Biden has confirmed her presence at the Olympics.

The closing ceremony will be attended by Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris,