- Monday, March 10, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
His relation with the new British monarch has seen low points in the recent past but that did not stop Russian president Vladimir Putin from becoming the first world leader to congratulate King Charles III after his ascension ceremony on Saturday (10).
Putin and Charles have had a frosty relationship over the years, starting from 2014 when the latter likened the Russian leader to Adolf Hitler. He had made the comparison to Jewish museum volunteer Marienne Fergusin after she had shared with him stories of her family’s escape from the Nazi leader.
Putin had reacted through a statement calling Charles’s statement “unacceptable” and “wrong”.
Again in early 2022, the then prince became the first member of the British royal family to publicly condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. He called the invasion as an “attack on democracy” and expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
But it seems Putin decided to set all differences aside this week following Queen Elizabeth II’s death at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday (8).
The Russian president released a statement via the Twitter account of the Russian embassy in the UK which read: “Please accept my sincere congratulations on your accession to the throne.
“I wish Your Majesty success, good health and all the best.”
The Russian leader also issued a statement last week after Buckingham Palace confirmed the death of the queen who was 96.
“The most important events in the recent history of the United Kingdom are inextricably linked with the name of Her Majesty,” he said.
“For many decades, Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of all her subjects, as well as stature in the international arena.”
To the King, he said: “I wish you courage and perseverance in the face of this heavy, irreparable loss.”
However, Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday (9) that the Russian president would not attend the queen’s funeral.
A Russian representative will be sent to the funeral on Putin’s behalf.
