Ella Pamfilova, Chairwoman of Russia's Central Election Commission, announces preliminary results of the presidential election in Moscow, Russia, March 17, 2024. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov
(Reuters) - Following are reactions from foreign governments and officials to Russia's presidential election, which handed Vladimir Putin a landslide win and another six-year term in office, according to first official results on Sunday.
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON
"The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him."
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY
"These days, the Russian dictator is simulating another election. It is clear to everyone in the world that this figure, as it has already often happened in the course of history, is simply sick for power and is doing everything to rule forever."
"There is no legitimacy in this imitation of elections and there cannot be. This person should be on trial in The Hague. That's what we have to ensure."
GERMANY'S FOREIGN MINISTRY ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM X
"The pseudo-election in Russia is neither free nor fair, the result will surprise nobody. Putin's rule is authoritarian, he relies on censorship, repression & violence. The "election" in the occupied territories of Ukraine are null and void & another breach of international law."
UK FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID CAMERON ON X
"The polls have closed in Russia, following the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory, a lack of choice for voters and no independent OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) monitoring. This is not what free and fair elections look like."
POLISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT
"From March 15-17, 2024, so-called presidential elections took place in Russia. The voting took place in conditions of extreme repression against society, making it impossible to make a free, democratic choice."
(Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Compiled by Global News Desk; Editing by Frances Kerry, Ros Russell and David Holmes)
