Diplomatic Rift: US, EU Shun Putin's Inauguration over Electoral Integrity Concerns
Moldovan President Maia Sandu was not invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The United States and several European Union member states have also announced their intention to boycott the inauguration for Putin's new six-year term. Western officials have criticised Putin's re-election as undemocratic and lacking legitimacy.
Moldova did not recognize the recent Russian election. Moldovan President Maia Sandu has previously condemned the elections as neither free nor fair, further criticising Russia's organisation of the vote in Transnistria without Chisinau's approval.
The United States will also boycott the inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin for Vladimir Putin's new term, according to US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, as reported by Reuters.
EU member states are divided on whether to send representatives to today's inauguration ceremony of Vladimir Putin as President of Russia at the Kremlin, according to a report by DW. France, Hungary, and Slovakia plan to accept Russia's invitation in order to maintain open channels of communication, as reported by dpa news agency, citing diplomats in Brussels. Meanwhile, many other EU members have decided to boycott the inauguration of the Russian leader.
Britain and Canada have also said they will not send representatives to the ceremony. Bucharest-based political expert Cosmin Popa stated that this response is the most fitting course of action in light of an illegitimate president. There is no question about the flawed nature of Russia's elections, Popa remarked. However, the gesture of boycotting the inauguration holds limited diplomatic and political weight, since it wasn't accompanied by stronger measures to demonstrate and support this stance. Implicitly, there's still some recognition of Russia's political regime, likely due to the ongoing need to maintain political contact.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
