The US President, George Bush, has arrived in Moscow ahead of a meeting with the Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Mr Bush, who has been travelling throughout Europe attending ceremonies to mark the 60th anniversary of World War II, will attend a commemerative parade in Red Square.
The visit comes amid a dispute between the Baltic states and Russia over the Soviet domination of eastern Europe after the war.
President Bush is expected to back calls from leaders of the Baltic states for a fresh apology for the Soviet occupation of their countries.
Mr Bush earlier paid tribute to the Allied soldiers who died in World War II at a ceremony in the Netherlands.
Mr Bush and Dutch Queen Beatrix laid wreaths at a cemetery near the southern city of Maastricht where around 8,000 US dead from the war are buried.
The ceremony is one of many taking place throughout Europe to mark the 60th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis.
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is travelling to Russia later today to take part in ceremonies commemorating VE Day.
Mr Ahern is flying from Dublin to Moscow this afternoon to take part in the salute at a military parade being held tomorrow.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and President Bush are also expected to attend the event hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Berlin festival
In Berlin today, a 48-hour Festival of Democracy is being held at the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the official day of liberation, which Germany commemorates each year.
But there is also concern about a march through the city planned by the far-right.
About 3,000 demonstrators from the National Democratic Party plan to march through the city calling for what it terms 'an end to the cult of guilt'.
In France, President Jacques Chirac laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldiers under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
VE Day is also being remembered at a series of events in London.
