Vladimir Putin was sworn in as the new President of Russia. This marked his sixth term as the head of the largest country. Putin secured a fresh six-year mandate in March after winning presidential elections devoid of any opposition.
Putin’s new term marks his tenure as head of state for almost 25 years, making him the longest-serving head of state since Josef Stalin. After his current term ends 2030, he can legally seek re-election for a further six years.
After taking the oath of office, Putin informed the Russian political elite that he was not going to stop talking to the West, but that it would have to decide for itself how to interact with his nation. Putin hinted at the possibility of nuclear negotiations with the US, which along with other Western nations abstained from the ceremony.
Under his leadership, Russia has devolved from a recovering economy into a hostile state that poses a threat to international peace and security. Russia has been subject to severe sanctions by the West in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which has turned into the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Russia is now seeking backing from various governments, including China, Iran, and North Korea.
His fresh tenure can potentially raise concerns regarding his fresh policies and stance in global security diplomacy, as his last tenure was marked by crushing his political rivals, the start of a bloody conflict in Ukraine, and the consolidation of all power in his own hands.
Putin’s swearing-in ceremony
Though many invitations have been sent from Kremlin, the majority of EU members and the US will abstain from Tuesday’s Kremlin event. However, in spite of Kyiv’s entreaties, some EU members, including France, were anticipated to send an envoy.
The heads of all foreign diplomatic missions in Moscow have been invited to Putin’s inauguration, according to a senior Kremlin official.
More than two years after the Russian leader initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the diplomacy of the Western nations revealed divergent views on how to deal with him.
“Ukraine sees no legal grounds for recognising him as the democratically elected and legitimate president of the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The event is taking place a day after Russia revealed on Monday that it would perform tactical nuclear weapons drills, which it claimed it hoped would chill “hotheads” in the West.
Canada and Britain have indicated that they will not be sending anyone to attend. The Baltic States, whose envoys are no longer in Moscow, have made it clear that they will not be present at the inauguration.
According to an EU spokesman, in line with the stance of the majority of the bloc’s member states, the ambassador of the EU to Russia would not be present at the event.
A Paris diplomatic source underlined differences about how to approach Russia by stating, “France will be represented by its ambassador to Russia.” French President Emmanuel Macron declared on Monday, during a speech alongside the president of China, that “we are not at war with Russia or the Russian people, and we have no desire for regime change in Moscow.”
