France to send ambassador to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration for a new six-year term in the presidency tomorrow, a French diplomatic source said today, unlike Germany, which said it would not be represented.

The Paris decision signals a possible split in the Western camp with many countries, including the Baltic states, strongly opposed to Putin being recognized with any form of legitimacy and potentially undermining Ukraine in its war with Russia after Moscow launched a attack more than two years ago.

Putin won a landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election in March, weeks after the death in prison of the most prominent critic of Russian President Alexei Navalny. Western governments condemned his re-election as undemocratic.

“France will be represented by its ambassador to Russia“, a French diplomatic source said.

The source noted that Paris has previously condemned the repressive environment in which the elections were held, denying voters the right to a real choice, as well as holding elections in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions, which France considers a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

Franco-Russian relations have soured in recent months as Paris has increased its support for Ukraine. Just last week, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out sending troops to Ukraine.

From her side, Germany has announced that it will not send a representative to Vladimir Putin’s swearing-in ceremony.

The Baltic states, which no longer have envoys in Moscow, also categorically ruled out attending the ceremony.

Two European diplomats said they do not expect the US to send a representative to the inauguration, although Washington has not yet made an official announcement.

“We believe that the isolation of Russia and especially of its criminal leader should continue“, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis.

“Participation in Putin’s swearing-in ceremony is not acceptable for Lithuania. Our priority remains supporting Ukraine and its people fighting against Russian aggression».

Ukraine is calling on its allies not to recognize Putin as the legitimate president

Ukraine’s foreign ministry has called on Kiev’s international allies not to recognize Vladimir Putin as Russia’s legitimate president.

“Ukraine does not see any legal grounds for recognizing him as the democratically elected and legitimate president of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a statement, issued ahead of Putin’s inauguration tomorrow.