To Russia with love; Check out the European Commission's congratulatory letter to Putin

As Twitchy has reported, President Donald Trump has taken a lot of flak for calling Russia’s Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his election victory, which most reasonable people are calling a “sham” at best.

Senator John McCain, for one, took Trump to task for acknowledging Putin’s “victory”:

An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections. And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election. https://t.co/lcQTBi7CA1

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) March 20, 2018

Whatever you think of Trump’s call to Putin (we’d like to see an actual readout of what was discussed), we have to imagine it paled in comparison to the congratulatory letter sent by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, which represents the EU in an official capacity.

Congratulations on your re-election, President #Putin. I have always argued that positive relations between the #EU and #Russia are crucial to the #security of our continent. Our objective should be to re-establish a cooperative pan-European security order. pic.twitter.com/PiEGg56DBN

— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) March 20, 2018

“I hope that you will use your fourth term in office to pursue this goal,” Juncker writes. “I will always be a partner in this endeavor.”

If you want to know why dictatorships bother with fake elections, this is why. Another love letter from the free world to a brutal dictator in his 19th year. And a shame someone in Juncker's position doesn't know that Ukraine is part of Europe. https://t.co/1qEf0Oq4c7

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) March 20, 2018

As much as his critics call Trump a puppet of Putin, he did re-draw Barack Obama’s famous “red line” by breaking with the previous administration and agreeing to sell lethal arms to the Ukrainian government, which is engaged in conflict with pro-Russian separatists.

This is an incredibly tone-deaf and troubling statement from the president of the @EU_Commission . All EU members should be outraged by this. https://t.co/WycQm8VGQU

— Sara Bjerg Moller (@sb_moller) March 20, 2018

Perhaps the two men are united by their contempt for democracy. https://t.co/FW3ZImd9Un

— Daniel Hannan (@DanielJHannan) March 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/mildlyright/status/976156090667819008

Truly outrageous. On so many levels. https://t.co/jgo5bLJOWR

— Tom Wright (@thomaswright08) March 20, 2018

Russia is never going to join a "cooperative pan-european security order" you pathetic moron https://t.co/SCL5KlodMk

— Robin Sällström (@MossadFan98) March 20, 2018

If the Russians want Europe, I'm kind of inclined to let them have it at this point. https://t.co/PYuZl6Mf58

— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) March 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/timothy_stanley/status/976073223963136000

The Commission calls the way Putin was re-appointed president of Russia "an election". And this is supposed to be the body that guarantees democracy and rule of law in Europe. https://t.co/gZXywnzIND

— Christofer Fjellner (@Fjellner) March 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/LukeEclair/status/976080916727717891

https://twitter.com/364690/status/976143144642281473

A reminder why Brexit Britain will be the leading force in Europe standing up to Putin. In contrast, the European Commission's approach is to kowtow to Moscow, as @JunckerEU demonstrates in spectacular fashion below. https://t.co/2LxzoJb2W9

— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) March 20, 2018

Putin…what an amateur having to have sham elections. EU shows the way not even bothering with the charade of democratic elections. https://t.co/6wE8so9kvJ

— Kevin Saunders (@h8kes) March 20, 2018

Grovel a bit lower please. https://t.co/BzK8hovvy9

— The Core (@SocialM85897394) March 20, 2018

Truth:

Both True:
(1) It was dumb when President Obama legitimized an aspiring dictator by congratulating Vladimir Putin for his sham election in 2012.
(2) It was dumb when President Trump legitimized an aspiring dictator by congratulating Vladimir Putin for his sham election in 2018.

— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) March 20, 2018

Quick, somebody make a joke about Mitt Romney and the ’80s wanting its foreign policy back.

Related:

Transmit THIS! Guy Benson helps spluttering David Axelrod out with his SEVERE Obamnesia https://t.co/miyMpEHTpY

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 20, 2018