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Sergey Lavrov stated Vladimir Putin is open to talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy but questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, as Kyiv insists he remains Ukraine’s leader under martial law.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday that President Vladimir Putin is willing to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but cast doubt on Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader.
Speaking to Russian state-run press RT, Lavrov claimed that any negotiations would require clarity on the authority of the person signing an agreement. “When we come to a stage where you have to sign documents, we’d need a clear understanding that the person who’s signing is legitimate. According to the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is not,” he said.
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Moscow has frequently questioned Zelenskyy’s status since his five-year presidential term formally ended in May. Kyiv maintains that Zelenskyy remains the legitimate head of state under martial law provisions, which extend presidential powers during wartime.
His remarks come days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump held closely-watched talks in Alaska, after which Russia called for turning the page in bilateral relations and resuming cooperation, and invited Trump to Moscow.
Putin said he had a good, constructive and frank discussion with Trump in Alaska. “I really hope the first steps made are just the beginning of a full-scale recovery of Russia-US relations. The next steps depend on the US leadership,” he was quoted as saying by the Foreign Ministry.
About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
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