 "Putin ready to talk to Zelenskyy 'if necessary,' says Kremlin, but questions Ukrainian president's legitimacy")
Kremlin on Tuesday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be ready to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “if necessary,” but appeared to question his legitimacy.
“Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelenskyy if necessary but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelenskyy’s legitimacy can be questioned,” The Guardian quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying to reporters.
He also said that Ukraine’s decision to join the European Union is its sovereign right and that Russia does not plan to dictate how Kyiv should handle this issue. However, he made it clear that Russia would set boundaries regarding military alliances.
“We are talking about integration and economic integration processes. And here, of course, no one can dictate anything to any country, and we are not going to do that,” Peskov was quoted as saying.
Moscow has said one of the goals of what it calls its “special military operation” is to avert any prospect of Ukraine joining the transatlantic Nato defence alliance, which it would consider a threat to Russia’s security.
“There is a completely different position, of course, on security-related issues related to defence or military alliances,” said Peskov.
In remarks that may heighten concerns in Central and Eastern Europe, Peskov said “a lasting and long-term viable resolution is impossible without a comprehensive consideration of security issues on the continent.”
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View AllHe also mentioned that discussions in Riyadh could offer more clarity regarding a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, though no agreements have been reached on this matter yet.
In 2022, Putin ordered the Russian military to invade Ukraine. He has consistently expressed a willingness to discuss a resolution to the war that takes into account the current situation, where advancing Russian forces now occupy nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
However, Western intelligence, European leaders, and former US President Joe Biden have all suggested that they believe Putin is not genuinely seeking peace, while US President Donald Trump maintains that he believes Putin is serious about wanting to end the conflict.
With inputs from agencies
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