Europe marks 70th anniversary of end of WWII

Events are being held across Europe to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two.  

European leaders gathered in the Polish port city of Gdansk for a midnight ceremony at the site where the first shots of the war were fired. 

The Gdansk commemoration was seen as a slight to Russia's Victory Parade on Saturday, which has been boycotted by Western leaders over the crisis in Ukraine. 

There will also be ceremonies in Paris, London, Berlin, as well as Washington. 

The commemoration in Gdansk was marked with a 21-gun salute on the stroke of midnight. 

Beams of light illuminated a monument to Polish defenders in Westerplatte.

BBC