Russian President Vladimir Putin has sharply criticized the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling it a dangerous precedent for the world.
In his criticism Putin pointed out that Trudeau’s calm exit from office could “inspire weak leadership” and, perhaps worse, “undermine the iron will of Russia’s political structure.”
“Resigning peacefully? What is this?” Putin remarked, shaking his head in disbelief. “A leader cannot simply walk away. If that happens, what’s next? Will we have American presidents resigning over tweets? Do we let French presidents retreat to their vineyards at the first sign of unrest?”
Putin’s comments were accompanied by an ominous glance at a nearby window, which reportedly caused several aides to take a cautious step back.
The Russian president further stated that Trudeau’s decision to leave without fear of being thrown from a window by an angry mob sends the wrong message. “In Russia, leaders know that leadership isn’t just about making decisions; it’s about staying on power while the people may or may not like what you do. Only the strong survive.”
Some speculate that Putin, perhaps unknowingly, feared that Trudeau’s tranquil resignation could create a wave of diplomatic decisions where Russian people start demanding Putin to “take responsibility” and “step aside” rather than cling to power indefinitely.
The Kremlin’s latest statement on the matter concluded with a cryptic warning to other global leaders: “Think carefully before following Trudeau’s example. In Russia, we don’t resign. We just do what we do… which is, not resign.”
* Image: Wikimedia commons cc-by-sa-2.0.
