The day after an unsurprising election leading Vladimir Putin to a new mandate, reactions have multiplied all over the world. On Monday March 18, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced “to take note” of this result but recalled that these elections took place in the context of “increased repression against civil society and all forms of opposition to the regime, ever-increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and the ban on the operation of independent media.” The Quai d’Orsay also salutes “the courage of many Russian citizens who peacefully demonstrated their opposition to this attack on their fundamental rights.”

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced on social networks on Sunday a “sham election”, while the Russian president was re-elected with 87.29% of the votes. “It is obvious to everyone in the world that this character, as has often happened throughout history, is drunk with power and is doing everything to rule forever,” declared Mr. Zelensky judging that the Russian presidential election has “no legitimacy”.

Many European leaders have also deplored the absence of free elections and real opposition to Vladimir Putin. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, sent congratulations to Mr. Putin as soon as the ballot opened on Friday morning. “I would like to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his landslide victory in the elections,” quipped Charles Michel on X. “No opposition. No freedom. No choice,” he added. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Sunday lamented the lack of “free and fair” elections in Russia.

Monday morning, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also reacted. “Organizing so-called elections in parts of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova is against international law,” she said ahead of a meeting with her European Union counterparts in Brussels. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, for his part, denounced Monday morning an election based on “repression and intimidation”.

“Congratulations” from Beijing

Vladimir Putin, however, received congratulatory messages from foreign leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a message relayed by Chinese state television CCTV Monday morning, said the re-election of his Russian counterpart demonstrated that he had the “full support” of his population.

“China expresses its congratulations,” Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters earlier, adding: “We are confident that under the strategic leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, relations between China and Russia will continue to progress. »

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel presented his “sincere congratulations” on X, welcoming “a clear sign of the recognition of his administration by the Russian people.” His Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, also congratulated “the brother people of Russia” and Vladimir Putin for his “extraordinary victory”, going so far as to praise an “impeccable electoral process”. According to the official North Korean news agency KCNA, the leader, Kim Jong-un, also sent his congratulations directly in a message to the Russian president.