Moscow
Putin declares victory: Russian President Vladimir Putin easily won another six-year term this week, taking 77 percent of the vote in an election marked by severely restricted competition. Turnout was reported at 67.5 percent, a reflection of Putin’s widespread popularity among Russians. While international observers saw a few irregularities, including acts of blatant ballot box stuffing, they said the count was largely accurate. But observers also said the vote was not free or fair, because genuine critics of Putin, such as opposition leader Alexei Navalny, were barred from running and because Russia restricts freedom of assembly and suppresses civil society groups. Putin, who has led Russia either as president or prime minister for 18 years, barely bothered to campaign. President Trump drew criticism at home for phoning Putin to congratulate him on his victory. National security staffers who prepared Trump for the call advised him to condemn the recent nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England—which the British government says was ordered by the Kremlin— and wrote on his briefing cards “DO NOT CONGRATULATE.” Instead, Trump praised Putin for his re-election and failed to mention the chemical attack. He said he discussed Syria during his “very good call” with the Russian president, and he warned Putin that the U.S. would win any arms race. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) rebuked Trump for the call, writing on Twitter, “An American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.”