PARIS/LONDON –
The United States and most European Union countries will boycott a Kremlin ceremony on Tuesday to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as president, but France and some other EU countries were expected to send an envoy , despite a plea from Kiev.
The divergent diplomatic responses from Western powers underscored differences over how to deal with the Russian leader more than two years after he launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“No, we will not have a representative at his inauguration,” said Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State. “We certainly did not consider those elections to be free and fair, but he is the president of Russia and he will continue in that capacity.”
