Putin willing to negotiate with Zelensky, but legal issues remain
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his willingness to engage in negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
He also emphasized that the legal aspects concerning Zelensky’s legitimacy as the head of state of Ukraine should be carefully considered.
The statement was made on Tuesday, February 18, during a briefing, according to DW.
“Vladimir Putin has stated on multiple occasions that, if necessary, he is willing to engage in negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the legal validation of any agreements requires thorough analysis, given that Zelensky's legitimacy could be challenged,” Peskov stated, quoted by Interfax.
On the same day, the first official meeting in a long time between U.S. and Russian representatives took place in Saudi Arabia. Among other topics, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to discuss the possibility of ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Neither Ukraine nor Europe are participating in these negotiations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev had not been informed about these negotiations and had not been invited.
“Ukraine believes that any negotiations concerning Ukraine, without Ukraine's involvement, are futile.
We cannot recognize any agreement or understanding made about us without us. We will not recognize such agreements,” Zelensky said, quoted by the Unian news agency.
Putin has repeatedly stated that he does not consider signing a peace agreement with Zelensky possible, as he does not recognize him as a legitimate president. He also referred to a decree issued by Zelensky in 2022, which bans negotiations with Russia while Putin remains president.
The Kremlin leader stated that for negotiations with Russia to take place, this decree must be revoked, and the only authority capable of doing so is the president of the Ukrainian Supreme Rada.
Simultaneously, Zelensky stated that Kiev is ready for direct negotiations with Moscow, but only if they are held “from a position of strength,” which would only be feasible if the U.S. president offers security guarantees. According to Zelensky, such guarantees might include Ukraine's accession to NATO or the presence of Western peacekeeping forces, including U.S. forces, on Ukrainian soil.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, Zelensky stated that, during the negotiation process to end the war, he is willing to meet with just one Russian – Vladimir Putin.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
