The spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry of Russia, Maria Zakharova, said that the Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenski, is looking for a private meeting with the Russian president, Vladimir Puitn, to “legitimize” his power and counteract western efforts to pressure Ukraine to celebrate early elections.
Zakharova said that Zelenski’s presidential mandate ended last year, in May 2024, and Moscow officials consider that his position is illegitimate, as published by the media, which Russia has pointed out, it has spoken like this “with frankness” about this matter.
“Zelenski wants to reaffirm his legitimacy, not through legal procedures, but by any means that he can demonstrate that he is in power,” said Zakharova, answering a question about why the Ukrainian President insisted on meeting alone with Putin.
“He is very afraid of being forgotten, of becoming unnecessary for the West. He is concerned that, in some way, the West Margine. That is why he continues to make statements,” added the spokeswoman of the Russian president.
Zelenski has repeatedly emphasized his desire to meet with Putin in private, which considers a previous requirement for peace negotiations. In May, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, said that a direct meeting between Zelenski and Putin could take place, provided that the Russian-Ukrainian negotiating delegation reached “specific agreements.”
This year, Russia and Ukraine celebrated two rounds of direct negotiations in Türkiye. In June, Putin said he was willing to meet with Zelenski, but said the Ukrainian leader lacked legitimacy to sign agreements.
