Putin visits army church ahead of vote on extending his rule
President Vladimir Putin visited a huge new Orthodox Christian cathedral dedicated to the military on Monday as Russia prepares to vote on reforms that could let him stay in power until 2036. Putin, 67, addressed hundreds of soldiers to commemorate Russia's remembrance day following a prayer ceremony led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Orthodox Church, at the Patriot cathedral, which opened earlier this month.
"We have gathered here outside the walls of the main cathedral of the Russian armed forces to remember the heroes of the past with deep respect," he said.
The lavishly decorated cathedral, some 55 km (34 miles) west of Moscow, had been due to open in May as part of a sequence of events to commemorate 75 years since the Soviet victory in World War Two, but this was delayed by the COVID19 pandemic.
The cathedral was originally meant to include a mosaic of Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu demonstrating their support for Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, but the plan was dropped. The Kremlin said it was too early to celebrate the achievements of Russia's current leadership.
Putin has made enshrining the memory of the Soviet effort in World War Two a centrepiece of his two-decade rule and on Wednesday he will oversee a military parade across Red Square to commemorate the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
The following day Russians will begin casting their ballots in a seven-day vote to approve or reject an array of reforms, including one that could allow Putin to serve two more terms in the Kremlin instead of stepping down in 2024.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has called on the leaders of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to make good on an agreement to hold a face-to-face summit to try to tackle the world's problems as soon as possible.
Putin made the appeal in an artiin English published late on
cle
Thursday in American international affairs magazine The National Interest in which he examined the events of World War Two ahead of a Red Square parade next week to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
"Today, as in 1945, it is important to demonstrate political will and discuss the future together," wrote Putin. He proposed such a summit in January and the four other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, China, France and Britain - gave their agreement in principle.
Moscow hopes the summit can proceed once coronavirus fears recede despite its relations with the West, and particularly the United States, being strained over everything from Syria and Ukraine to alleged Russian political meddling abroad. The summit would discuss the global economy, global security, arms control, extremism, cyberspace and climate change, Moscow has said. Putin said Moscow had specific ideas and initiatives on all the themes.
"Drawing on a shared historical memory, we can trust each other and must do so. That will serve as a solid basis for successful negotiations and concerted action for the sake of enhancing...stability and security on the planet," wrote Putin.
Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center and a former colonel in the Russian army, said the article looked like Putin was trying to turn the summit into a "supreme global format," an aim he called highly ambitious.
"Russia may suggest but it's up to the U.S. and China to decide if they're willing/ready. 2020 isn't 1945," Trenin wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Nuclear weapons talks between the United States and Russia started in Vienna on Monday, with the two countries' envoys making only guarded comments shortly before they met.
Little has been said officially about the arms control negotiations but the U.S. envoy has made clear they will be about nuclear weapons, suggesting they will include replacing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expires in February.