The G7 countries aimed to officially condemn Vladimir Putin's victory in the Russian presidential elections. However, according to Italian Repubblica, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken blocked this statement.
According to the publication, the statement, which labeled the Russian elections a farce, was prepared in Italy. The US State Department, in turn, deemed the proposed wording inappropriate.
The G7 statement had initially received approval from US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. A White House representative stated, acknowledging the reality that Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia, the United States will act accordingly.
However, this reality does not negate the fact that the elections did not meet the criteria for freedom and democracy, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, noted.
Journalists speculated that Blinken's decision was due to disagreements with Sullivan and the State Department's concerns about potential Russian interference in the upcoming US presidential elections. Both politicians had previously criticized the Russian presidential elections.
In Italy, opinions on Putin's victory diverged.
Matteo Salvini, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, leader of the "League" party, acknowledged the result of the Russian elections, emphasizing that "the people who vote are always right."
Meanwhile, Italy's second Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, leader of the "Forward Italy" party, Antonio Tajani, highlighted that the Russian presidential elections were marked by "pressure and violence."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni only pointed out the alleged illegality of the elections on "occupied Ukrainian territories."
The US State Department Refuses to Congratulate Putin
Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, stated that the United States would not congratulate Putin on his election victory, understanding that Putin will remain the president of Russia.
"I think it's safe to say that there will be no congratulatory calls from the United States," Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, remarked.
Patel noted that in Washington, the presidential elections in Russia are not considered free or fair.
Shortly before, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia is not ready to heed assessments of the presidential elections from the US. He clarified that Washington's stance on the situation is quite expected and predictable. "The US, being a country that is de facto at war with Russia, could not be expected to offer any other assessments," he added.
