UAE leaders greet Putin on his re-election as president

ABU DHABI: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to Vladimir Putin, on the occasion of his re-election as President of the Russian Federation.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also sent similar messages to President Vladimir Putin.

Putin has won a fith term in the Kremlin with 87.28 per cent of votes, Russia’s electoral commission said on Monday, ater a three-day ballot.

The result, which did not include votes from abroad, showed that the three other candidates who ran — but had not openly challenged Putin — won 4.31, 3.85 and 3.20 per cent of the vote.

Putin thanked supporters at a concert on Red Square following his election victory, standing alongside the three loyalist candidates who ran against him. “Hand in hand, we will move forward and this will make us stronger... Long live Russia!” Putin told the crowd attending a pop concert to mark 10 years since Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. The Kremlin praised Putin’s landslide re-election, saying it showed mass backing for “his path” for Russia.

“An exceptionally perfect result for incumbent President Putin ... and the most eloquent confirmation of the support of the people of our country for their president and consolidation around his path,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Kremlin electoral chief Ella Pamfilova said Putin had won a “record” result and got “almost 76 million” votes.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman congratulated Putin and wished him “success and prosperity,” in comments reported by state media.

Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, each separately wished Putin “development and prosperity,” in statements published online.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi hailed Putin’s “decisive victory ,” state news agency ir na reported.

The Kremlin said Putin held phone calls with his ex-soviet allies in Central Asia, Belarus and Azerbaijan ater the vote.

He also received congratulations from other countries such as China, North Korea, Venezuela and Myanmar, Russian state media said.

In Latin America, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said: “Our older brother Vladimir Putin has triumphed, which bodes well for the world.” Cuba’s Miguel Diaz-canel said the official result was “a credible indication that the Russian population supports (Putin’s) management of the country.”