Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised doubts about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy to sign a treaty, even as he expressed a willingness to meet for peace talks. Speaking to international media at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, he asserted that “Signature must come from legitimate authorities.” Russian President’s remarks comes amid ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv and Zelenskyy’s repeated calls for direct talks.
Putin Casts Doubt On Zelenskyy’s Legitimacy
Zelenskyy has consistently called for a meeting with Putin, stating that he alone can resolve pressing bilateral issues, including territorial disputes. But Putin’s remark indicates his suspicion over Zelenskyy’s authority to sign any deal, as he was quoted saying, “If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone to negotiate on its behalf, suit yourself, let it be Zelenskyy. The question is, who will sign the document?"
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It is important to note that Zelenskyy’s presidential term officially ended last year. However, no successor has been elected due to the imposition of martial law.
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Zelenskyy maintains that he can remain in office under the current conditions, despite the Ukrainian Constitution stating that presidential powers should be transferred to the parliament's speaker under such circumstances.
"Propagandistically, one can say anything about the legitimacy of the current authorities, but we care about legal aspects and not propaganda when dealing with serious issues," Putin firmly stated.
Putin also pointed out that since many Ukrainian officials are appointed by the president, their legitimacy also remains in question.
Russian President stressed, "But the signature must come from legitimate authorities. Otherwise, whoever comes after him will toss it to the dumpster. That's not a way to conduct serious business.
Notably, Putin on Wednesday stated that he is “ready to sit down and talk with anyone, including Zelenskyy.” While he expressed willingness to negotiate, his doubts on Ukrainian President’s legitimacy tells another story.
“So, the point is that we are ready to hold talks. By the way, I said I was ready to sit down and talk with anyone, including Zelensky. That is not a big deal. If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone with conducting talks, fine, let it be Zelensky. That does not really matter. What really matters is who is going to sign the document? Listen, I have not made any of this up. You can say whatever you want about the legitimacy of the current government as part of a propaganda campaign. But when it comes to addressing serious matters, we are concerned with legal aspects, not propaganda,” Putin stated.
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