Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Ukraine may legally participate in peace talks to end the nearly three-year-old conflict, but claimed that Kyiv lacked any intent to negotiate.
Speaking on Russian state television, Putin highlighted complications stemming from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “illegitimacy,” alleging that his term expired in May 2024. According to Putin, Zelenskyy’s extended leadership, under martial law, raises questions about his authority to sign binding agreements.
“But if there is a real will, then mechanisms can be found. For example, the chairman of Ukraine’s parliament can conduct negotiations, as stipulated by their constitution,” Putin said, speaking to Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.
Putin said that if Ukraine showed a desire to compromise, “any suitable representative” could head up negotiations, but the agreements should meet Russia’s interests. However, he said that legal certainty must be established about who is empowered to sign peace agreements on behalf of Ukraine.
Ukraine, however, maintains that Zelenskyy remains the legitimate president, as martial law imposed since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 has prevented elections. Ukrainian officials also assert that wartime conditions make it impossible to hold a vote.
Putin suggested that support from Ukraine’s Western allies could facilitate finding a legal framework for negotiations. He noted that he had communicated this possibility to former US President Joe Biden.
The Russian leader also urged reconsideration of a 2022 Ukrainian presidential decree that bans talks with Russian leadership. Zelenskyy recently clarified that the decree only barred negotiations with separatist groups outside his authority, not with Russia directly.
While Putin presented the possibility of resolving legal hurdles, he reiterated that no progress could occur without genuine interest from Ukraine. The stalemate continues as the war shows little sign of abating.