Moscow explains why Zelensky wishes to meet with Putin

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is pushing for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to maintain his political legitimacy and resist Western pressure to step down, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has claimed.

In an interview with First Sevastopol TV on Saturday, Zakharova stated that Zelensky’s motivations stem from a need to reaffirm his authority by non-legal means, as his official five-year term ended in May 2024. Due to Ukraine’s ongoing martial law, Zelensky postponed elections, a move that Moscow has cited in declaring him illegitimate. According to Russian officials, under Ukrainian law, legislative power should now fall to the parliament.

Zakharova further suggested that Zelensky fears being abandoned by the West and slipping into irrelevance. “He’s terrified of being forgotten, of becoming useless to the West,” she said, adding mockingly that Zelensky “probably sleeps with a webcam” to stay visible in the media.

Zelensky has repeatedly said a face-to-face meeting with Putin is essential to achieving peace. While the Kremlin has not ruled out the possibility, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently stated such a meeting would only make sense if preceded by concrete diplomatic progress.

President Putin has also expressed willingness to meet with Zelensky but questioned his legal authority to sign any binding agreements. “It’s not about meeting – I can meet with anyone. The real issue is: who has the authority to sign the documents?” Putin said in June.

Despite signing a decree in 2022 banning negotiations with Russia’s current leadership after several Ukrainian regions voted to join Russia, Zelensky has suggested the ban only applies to other Ukrainian officials, not to himself.

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