President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his election victory this weekend, RÚV reports. Among the first nations to congratulate Putin were the presidents of Syria, Iran, and Cuba. Neither the United Kingdom nor France have sent messages of congratulation.
In his letter, Guðni writes that despite many changes on the world stage, relations between Russia and Iceland have been favourable to both countries. “The bright future of the northerly regions and their inhabitants depends on sustainable development, environmental protection, and good cooperation between the nations which live there,” the letter stated.
Meanwhile, the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs is considering a boycott of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in support of the UK, which claims Russia is behind a recent nerve agent attack which occurred on English soil.
