Video catches moment Putin's speech met with awkward silence as he appears to wait for applause that never comes

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at a ceremony to receive credentials from newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Russia at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 5, 2023.

VLADIMIR ASTAPKOVICH/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

• Vladimir Putin addressed a group of ambassadors at a speech at the Kremlin.
• He appears to look around expecting applause, but is instead met with awkward silence.
• In the speech Putin blamed the US for the Ukraine conflict as the US ambassador awkwardly looked on.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was captured on video appearing to awkwardly wait for applause that never comes following a speech at the Kremlin.

As the Russian leader finished his speech at a televised ceremony of ambassadors on Wednesday, he looked around the room as an awkward silence followed.

In case it wasn't clear that this was the end of his speech, he spoke again to tell the crowd that the ceremony was ending and thanked everyone. Again, he was met with silence.

—Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 5, 2023

 

Putin can then be seen gathering his notes and turning to exit from the Kremlin's decadent St. Alexander's Hall.

The video was widely shared on social media, including by Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko, who noted that "no one applauded" following the speech.

lga Lautman, a journalist and senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), tweeted: "That awkward moment when the war criminal fugitive finishes his speech to silence." 

During the speech, Putin said that although he did not want to disrupt the "gracious atmosphere" of the event, he couldn't help but criticize US foreign policy approach and blame it for the current conflict in Ukraine.

The speech's audience included the United States ambassador to Russia, Lynne M. Tracy, who can be seen remaining stony-faced during Putin's comments.

—Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 5, 2023

 

Putin said he would not greet the ambassadors personally due to the "ongoing health situation," as the Russian leader continues to be cautious about the COVID-19 virus, and his podium could be seen placed some distance from the rest of the attendees.

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