Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, people from all over the globe have been sending their condolences and paying respect to her in the form of messages and tributes. In spite of the precarious connection that exists between Russia and the United Kingdom, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, was not an exception.

According to the New York Post, Vladimir Putin sent a letter to King Charles III in which he said that the queen “justifiably enjoyed the affection and respect of her people, as well as power on the international stage.” Putin’s letter was included in the publication. In the letter, Putin expressed his hopes that Monarch Charles III would “pass on my sympathies and support to members of the royal family and the whole people of Great Britain.” He also wished the king “strength and perseverance in the face of this tragic irreparable loss.”

According to Reuters, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that Queen Elizabeth II has “knowledge and authority,” which, in his opinion, “are in extremely short supply on the world scene at the moment.” The Daily Mail reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be present for the burial of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19.

Flowers, candles, and other tokens of remembrance for the queen have reportedly been left at the British Embassy in Moscow since the news of her passing was made public, as reported by Reuters. According to the New York Post, Queen Elizabeth was the only member of the British royal family to go to Russia.

One person who will be pleased with this development is Piers Morgan, who was recently quoted in the New York Post as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin should “stick his condolences where the sun doesn’t shine” and that Morgan’s primary concern was the loss of lives in Ukraine. The New York Post reported that Morgan made these comments.