The West largely boycotted Putin's inauguration ceremony due to the war
Western nations are boycotting Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration ceremony on Tuesday amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, amongst others, are refusing to send officials to the ceremony.
Putin is anticipated to stay in office for an additional six years after winning the March election with around 87% of the vote, but Western countries described the vote as neither free nor fair. The inauguration comes because the Russian invasion of Ukraine is now in its twenty seventh month.
“We will not have a representative at his inauguration,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday.
“We certainly did not view these elections as free and fair, but he is the president of Russia and he will continue to serve in that role,” Miller said.
Most EU states are also not expected to send officials to the ceremony, although France, Slovakia and Hungary expect to send representatives, Reuters reported. The news agency quoted an unnamed EU spokesman as saying that the bloc's ambassador to Russia wouldn’t attend the ceremony.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow doesn’t hold elections or inaugurations “in order to be appreciated, loved or hated by the West.”
Putin is to be sworn in as president for the fifth time
Vladimir Putin is to be sworn in as Russian president for the fifth time in his political profession.
Putin's allies heaped praise on the “strongman” leader ahead of Tuesday's inauguration ceremony within the Kremlin, saying society was consolidating across the president who took office 24 years ago.
State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin was amongst Russian officials who praised the president ahead of the inauguration ceremony at 12 p.m. Moscow time (10 a.m. London time), saying: “Putin saved the country.”
“He revitalized it, restored state capacity and ensured social and economic development. Putin is Russia's advantage. The consolidation of society around our president will continue to lead the country to new victories.” he said on Telegram.
The Russian government under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will resign on Tuesday and a government reshuffle is anticipated to happen in the approaching days and weeks.
Close followers of Russian politics will listen to which allies – a few of whom have held ministerial positions for a few years – are near Putin and who’s promoted or demoted.
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