Vladimir Putin is about to begin his fifth term as Russian president, with a ceremony scheduled for next Tuesday at the Moscow Kremlin.
At this official event, attended by high-ranking government officials and members of both chambers of the Russian Parliament, Putin will take the oath of office for another six years as head of state.
With a term of office now totaling 24 years and receiving over 87 percent of the vote in the last elections in March, Putin has reaffirmed his dominant position in Russian politics.
However, the upcoming inauguration has sparked discussions and diverging opinions within the European Union, as reported by Der Spiegel.
While the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, firmly opposes EU countries participating in the ceremony, some diplomatic voices caution against the potential consequences of such an absence.
Some diplomats fear that the EU's absence could be perceived as a signal for Russia to continue disregarding international norms and diplomatic protocols.
The EU thus faces a tough decision: to attend as a diplomatic gesture of recognition or to abstain as a statement against Putin’s authoritarian governance and controversial electoral practices.
