Divergent viewpoints are emerging within the European Union regarding the appropriate approach to invitations extended for the inauguration ceremony signaling the commencement of Russian President Vladimir Putin's fifth term in office.
According to several EU diplomats who spoke with the news agency dpa in Brussels, there is a division among member states. Countries such as France, Hungary, and Slovakia also support sending delegates to Putin's inauguration ceremony for the very reason that there must be openness in communication .
However, Germany and other countries from the EU consider that kind of participation not appropriate, especially given the situation between Russia and Ukraine. A spokesperson for the German Foreign Office in Berlin explicitly stated on Monday, "Germany will not be attending this event."
In addition to abstaining from attendance, Germany has also called back its ambassador to Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, for a week of consultations in Berlin following cyberattacks targeting the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and German businesses. These attacks are attributed by the German government to a unit of the Russian military intelligence service.
Echoing the stance of many EU member states, the official representative of the European Union in Moscow will also be absent from Tuesday's ceremony, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the European External Action Service in Brussels late Monday.
This came even though EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell had earlier disagreed with the EU's participation in the ceremony. However, there were said to be dissenting views warning that failure to attend could give the Russians an excuse to continue disregarding the dictates of diplomatic etiquette in the future.
The oath for another presidential stint is set to be read by Putin himself Tuesday morning as he starts another six years as Russian president.
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