Putin is willing to negotiate with Zelenski, even if he doubted his legitimacy, according to Kremlin

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is willing to negotiate with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodimir Zelenski, although he doubted his legitimacy, Kremlin said Tuesday, coinciding with the first direct contact between representatives of Russia and the US from the beginning of The war.

«Putin himself has said on several occasions that if necessary negotiations with Zelenski,» said Dmitri Peskov, presidential spokesman, at his daily telephone press conference.

At the same time, he recalled «the reality that speaks of the possibility of questioning the legitimacy of Zelenski» when setting the agreements signed between both parties.

Peskov referred to the fact that, according to Putin, Zelenski ceased to be a legitimate president last May as he did not call presidential elections when he expires his five -year mandate, something that kyiv categorically rejects.

Russian officials and media have suggested the option that Zelenski participates in the negotiations, but does not sign the resulting documents.

The spokesman also stressed that Putin was shown from the beginning of the war willing to participate in peace negotiations, unlike the previous US administration; of Ukraine, which prohibited by decree with the negotiations with Putin, and of the Europeans, who advocated to continue the war «at any price.»

«The important thing for us is to achieve our goals. Of course, we prefer peaceful means to achieve these purposes, ”he said.

As for today’s meeting in Riad, he considered premature to value the results, although he admitted that he can shed light on a future encounter between Putin and the US president Donald Trump.

EFE