On Thursday, Russia raised doubts about the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing ongoing discussions about security guarantees for a potential peace agreement as “hopeless.”
During a press conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that President Vladimir Putin is willing to meet with Zelensky, a notion that has the support of former President Trump, but this meeting hinges on certain preconditions being fulfilled.
“Our president has said multiple times he’s ready to meet Zelensky, but I understand that the necessary discussions at such a high level won’t be straightforward,” Lavrov remarked.
He added that the justification for those who would sign any agreements would need deliberation with the Ukrainian side, noting the importance of timing if any future contracts were to be signed.
Putin has frequently hinted that Zelensky isn’t a legitimate president since he failed to hold elections amid martial law, which Russian officials argue undermines Zelensky’s legal authority to formalize any agreement.
Lavrov seemed uncertain about whether Putin would engage in direct discussions with Zelensky, mentioning that any summit should be meticulously prepared, progressing gradually from expert-level talks through all necessary stages.
Lavrov pointed out that Ukraine’s security guarantees should align with conditions outlined during consultations held in Istanbul in 2022, something Ukraine has rejected.
“Diverse ideas or one-sided moves are just futile,” he commented, as per Reuters.
He elaborated that the debates from the West and Ukraine center on providing guarantees involving foreign military intervention in specific areas of Ukrainian territory.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading a new joint committee formed by U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials tasked with crafting security guarantees for Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Lavrov stated that discussions concerning Ukraine’s potential security guarantees tied to a broader peace agreement would lead nowhere unless Moscow was part of the talks.
“We’ve made it clear that Russia isn’t overstating its interests; we steadfastly defend our legitimate concerns,” he said, asserting that serious discussions on security cannot happen without the involvement of the West and primarily, the Russian Federation, describing such attempts as unrealistic.
