Kremlin leader ready for face-to-face with Zelenskyy - without signing anything
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (Photo: Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but once again questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, according to a broadcast of Putin’s conversation with journalists.
“We are ready to meet… I’m ready to meet with anyone, including Zelenskyy… If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone to conduct negotiations, by all means, let it be Zelenskyy,” Putin said.
However, he added that the question lies in who will sign the documents. While commenting on the issue, the Kremlin leader once again repeated claims that Zelenskyy is supposedly illegitimate.
He claims that there are no provisions for extending the president’s powers. According to him, powers can only be extended for the Verkhovna Rada if the country is under martial law.
“It says that elections are not held under martial law — that’s true. But nowhere does it say that the president’s powers are extended — no, that’s it,” Putin stated.
Following that logic, the dictator went on to claim that the entire Ukrainian system of government is allegedly illegitimate. He argued that if the president is illegitimate, then so are all officials appointed by him.
“Why am I saying this? We don’t care who conducts the negotiations — even if it’s the current head of the regime, I’m ready to meet. But if we reach the final stage [of negotiations], it can’t just be endless talks and compromises — the signature must belong to a legitimate authority,” Putin said.
He concluded by saying that otherwise, the next administration could simply throw it all in the trash.
Elections in Ukraine and the legitimacy of the president
Under martial law, elections cannot be held in Ukraine. This means that the previously elected government remains legitimate until martial law is lifted and new elections can be conducted.
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk responded to Moscow’s claims about President Zelenskyy’s alleged illegitimacy.
“I clearly said: I'm actually glad they've finally started reading at least the Constitution of Ukraine. But they should read it carefully - if they can’t understand their own. It's explicitly stated that the President of Ukraine continues to exercise his powers until a newly elected President takes office,” he said.
Stefanchuk also emphasized that Zelenskyy is the guarantor of the Constitution and Ukraine’s representative in international relations.
“Let them keep dreaming their little fantasies. The Ukrainian parliament is a constitutional body, but it exercises only the powers defined by the Constitution,” Stefanchuk added.
