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Vladimir Putin officially assumed a new mandate as president of Russia this Tuesday, two days before meeting in Moscow with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Díaz-Canel.
In an investiture ceremony held in the Kremlin, and with the war in Ukraine as a backdrop, Putin was sworn in for the fifth time in office in which he will now remain, at least, until 2030.
He thus remains in power after having won by a wide margin the elections last March, which he acceded to thanks to a constitutional reform that allowed him to once again aspire to the head of state.
The elections established a record of participation, with a total attendance close to 74% and confirmed the popularity of the president among his countrymen.
However, his main opponents were disqualified for various reasons, which paved the way for his victory and motivated unanimous criticism from the West.
Precisely, although they were invited to the ceremony in a diplomatic move, the ambassadors of the United States and the vast majority of countries in the European Union (EU) decided not to attend, confirms a report from EFE.
Dialogue with the West “depends on them”
Putin, 71, took office in a ceremony attended by more than 2,000 guests, including the country’s top officials and the leaders of the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow considers part of its territory (Donetsk, Luhansk , Kherson and Zaporizhzhia).
“In the exercise of the powers of the President of the Russian Federation, I swear to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, to comply with and defend the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to protect sovereignty and independence, security and the integrity of the State, to faithfully serve the people,” he said when taking the oath, quoted by EFE.
After his inauguration, the president opened the door to a dialogue with the West on security and strategic stability, but emphasized the creation of a new world order with greater Russian prominence.
“We do not reject dialogue with Western countries. It’s up to them,” she said.
His words come just one day after he ordered his country’s Army to carry out maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons “shortly.”
This, he said, due to “threats” from the West, amid growing tensions between Moscow and NATO as a result of the war in Ukraine.
In the last decade, the Russian president has increased spending on the modernization of his country’s nuclear weapons and has said that Russia’s nuclear weapons are “in full combat readiness” in the face of possible NATO military actions against it.
Cuban resonances
For the Cuban Government, Putin’s assumption of a new mandate is hopeful news in the midst of the severe economic crisis that the island is suffering.
Moscow is a firm political ally of Havana, and in recent years they have also strengthened their economic and commercial ties. In addition, it has forgiven the island’s debts.
Currently, bilateral cooperation is developing in areas such as energy, metallurgy, transportation and tourism, while Russian businessmen and politicians have offered advice to the Cuban authorities for their reform program.
Díaz-Canel will travel to Russia to attend the “Victory Day” parade
The Cuban president traveled this Monday to Russia, where this Thursday he will meet with Putin and attend the military parade for “Victory Day”, 79 years after the triumph of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.
One day before, Díaz-Canel will attend the meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Union, in which Cuba participates as an observer country.
Regarding the meeting with the Russian president, the agency Itar-Tass He announced that the conversation will address issues related to diplomacy, politics and economic ties and cooperation.
“This will be an important conversation,” Kremlin sources said, cited by the agency.
