Despite the recommendation to the EU states not to attend the "inauguration" of Vladimir Putin, member states have the right to make their own decisions in the field of foreign policy.
This is how EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano explained the decision of some EU members to send their representatives to Putinʼs "inauguration" at a briefing in Brussels.
He reminded that the EU as an institution was not represented at the "inauguration" in Moscow by its ambassador. The EU diplomat received relevant recommendations from the foreign policy service of the European Union and refrained from participating.
"However, several member states have decided to act independently. Ultimately it is their own decision and their competence to decide whether they want to attend such an event or not. But the vast majority of member states remain on the sidelines, including the EU ambassador," Stano emphasized.
He also noted that the countries that decided to send their representatives to Putinʼs "inauguration" must themselves provide an explanation as to why they did so.
Stano did not answer the question of which countries were present at the "inauguration". According to Radio Liberty, delegates were sent by France, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Malta and Cyprus.
"Inauguration" of Putin
The so-called inauguration of Putin was held on May 7. Some of the European countries said that their representatives will not be at the ceremony, in particular, Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. In addition, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan decided not to go to the ceremony.
The USA also did not send its representative to the "inauguration", but declared that Putin "is the president of Russia, and he will continue to be in this role".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that they see no reason to recognize Putin as the democratically elected and legitimate president of Russia.
At the same time, France sent its ambassador to the so-called inauguration of Putin. This could signal a potential rift between France and other countries, notably Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which are adamantly opposed to giving Putin any form of legitimacy following Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine.