For the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, attending the inauguration of the Russian president would be a “contradiction” for the European Union, considering that the presidential elections in Russia were “neither free nor fair”.
However, the European Union (EU) does not have a unanimous position on the issue, as France and Hungary sent ambassadors to Russia and Slovakia appointed the chargé d’affaires.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs stated, however, that it was “very difficult to understand for Ukrainians and for many people around the world” that the EU would witness the inauguration of a head of state against whom the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for forcing the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
“My advice was not to attend,” said Borrell, although he stressed that EU countries have “full sovereignty” to decide on foreign policy issues.
The statements by the head of EU diplomacy were made before the meeting of the European Union Development Council, which is taking place today in Brussels, where, among other matters, aid to Ukraine will be discussed.
The European bloc approved a package worth 50 billion euros to allow the administration to continue functioning in the midst of war and for the future reconstruction of the country.
“The best way to avoid reconstruction is to avoid destruction,” said Borrell, who insisted on the need to continue supporting Ukraine militarily, at a time when Russia intensified bombings against the country.
Tags: Portugal absent Putins inauguration Borrell contradiction
