from RT:
The Russian president has stressed that the nation must be unyielding in the face of internal and external challenges
Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially been sworn into office for a fifth term. In his inaugural address at the Kremlin on Tuesday, Putin vowed to protect the nation’s interests amid the confrontation with the West over the Ukraine conflict.
Here are the key points from the ceremony and Putin’s speech, as the Russian leader begins his six-year term.
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Ceremony largely shunned by the West
The inauguration took place in the lavish Kremlin Grand Palace in the heart of Moscow, and was attended by hundreds of high-ranking guests, including top government officials and foreign ambassadors.
Despite strained relations, Russia invited envoys from Western nations to the inauguration. Only a few, however, including envoys from France, Hungary, and Slovakia, actually attended. Representatives from the US, EU, UK, and Canada were absent from the ceremony.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported that Putin’s inauguration has caused a rift among EU nations. Those who chose to attend argued that they wanted to “keep channels of communication [with Russia] open.”
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Russia does not hold inaugurations and other ceremonies “in order to report to the West,” but rather to ensure the country’s prosperity. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Moscow would not retaliate against nations that snubbed the event.
