Kremlin declares Russia willing to disregard Zelensky’s illegitimacy

(MENAFN) Russia has indicated that the issue of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's legitimacy is secondary to its goal of resuming direct negotiations with Kiev, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. While Russia has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy due to the expiration of his presidential term in May 2024 without an election, Peskov emphasized that Moscow's primary interest is to begin peace talks.

Zelensky has extended martial law repeatedly since the conflict escalated in 2022, preventing elections from taking place. Peskov acknowledged that while Zelensky’s legal standing is an issue, the focus remains on achieving a peaceful settlement. “The most important thing is to start the negotiation process,” he said, with other concerns being secondary.

However, Peskov also noted that Ukraine has shown no willingness to engage in negotiations, as Zelensky has not lifted the ban on direct talks with Moscow while Putin remains in office. Additionally, it is unclear how Ukraine will respond to Putin's recent 72-hour ceasefire proposal, which is set to run from May 7-10. Moscow has yet to receive a clear response from Kiev regarding the truce.

Zelensky has criticized the ceasefire, insisting that it should be an immediate, complete, and unconditional peace, lasting at least 30 days. Peskov stressed that a long-term ceasefire would be difficult for Moscow to accept without addressing key concerns, such as guarantees that Ukraine would honor the truce and control its extremist units. There is also the worry that Ukraine could use a ceasefire to rearm and resume fighting later.

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