Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned on Thursday that he was prepared to satisfy with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a “last part” of negotiations however once more questioned his Ukrainian counterpart’s legitimacy.
“I’m even prepared to satisfy him (Zelensky) however solely whether it is some form of last part,” he mentioned at a press convention with international media in St. Petersburg.
Russia needs to finish the warfare in Ukraine “as quickly as potential,” ideally by way of peaceable means, and is able to proceed negotiations — supplied that Kyiv and its Western allies are keen to have interaction, Putin added.
He additionally added that he’s prepared to satisfy with Zelensky and “Russia doesn’t care who represents Ukraine in negotiations, however insists that any last settlement should bear the signature of respectable authorities”.
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are ready to renew direct talks after June 22, Putin mentioned.
“I’m prepared to satisfy with anybody, together with Zelensky,” Putin mentioned. “That isn’t the difficulty. If Ukraine entrusts him to barter, let or not it’s Zelensky. The true query is: who will signal any ensuing paperwork? We’re not coping with propaganda right here; with regards to critical issues, what issues is just not political messaging however authorized legitimacy.”
Putin additionally mentioned that if no peaceable decision is reached, Russia will pursue its aims in Ukraine by army means.
“Undoubtedly, if we fail to succeed in an settlement by way of peaceable negotiations, we’ll obtain our objectives by army means,” he added.
He reiterated that the purpose of Russia’s particular army operation is the demilitarisation of Ukraine, depriving it of the capability to keep up army forces that might endanger Russia.
The Kremlin has lengthy sought to painting Zelensky as “illegitimate” in an try to discredit Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned on February 18 that Putin, who has dominated Russia for greater than 20 years, is prepared for talks with Zelensky, however “authorized points associated to his legitimacy” should be thought of.
Ukraine’s allies had typically ignored this narrative till US President Donald Trump appeared to echo the Kremlin’s strains claiming that Zelensky was a “modestly profitable comic” turned “dictator” who “refused to have elections”.
Ukraine has not held elections throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion as a result of they’re legally prohibited below martial legislation, which was declared on February 24, 2022, simply hours after the warfare started.
Ukrainian legislation additionally mandates that elections should be secure, equal, and uninterrupted—situations which can be unattainable to satisfy amid ongoing Russian assaults on civilians and demanding infrastructure.
Putin additionally instructed US President Donald Trump on June 14 that Moscow is able to maintain a brand new spherical of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, following the completion of prisoner and fallen soldier exchanges.
Requested if he can be keen to talk with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the Russian President mentioned that “if the Federal Chancellor needs to name and speak, I’ve already mentioned this many occasions — we don’t refuse any contacts”.
“And we’re all the time open to this… They stopped, allow them to resume. We’re open to them,” Putin mentioned, including that he, nonetheless, questions Germany’s position as a mediator within the Russia-Ukraine warfare: “I do doubt if Germany can contribute greater than the US as a mediator in our negotiations with Ukraine. A mediator should be impartial. And after we see German tanks and Leopard battle tanks on the battlefield… and now Germany is contemplating supplying Taurus missiles for assaults on Russian territory… — right here, in fact, large questions come up.”