- Kremlin leader to be sworn in for new term on Tuesday
- Envoys of US, EU, Canada, most EU nations to skip ceremony
- France, Hungary and Slovakia expected to attend
- Ukraine wants allies not to recognise Putin as president
"No, we will not have a representative at his inauguration," Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, said. "We certainly did not consider that election free and fair but he is the president of Russia and he is going to continue in that capacity."
Britan and Canada said they would not send anyone to attend the ceremony, which comes a day after Russia on Monday announced it would hold tactical nuclear weapons drills that it said it hoped would cool down "hotheads" in the West.
A European diplomat said 20 EU member states would boycott the event, but that seven others were expected to send a representative. Apart from France, Hungary and Slovakia were both expected to attend, two diplomatic sources said.
Germany's Foreign Ministry said it would not attend.
Underscoring divisions over how to deal with Russia, a Paris diplomatic source said: "France will be represented by its ambassador to Russia."
US, Most EU Nations to Boycott Putin's Inauguration Over Ukraine War | Reuters
What the fuck, France?
