Moscow considers the Ukrainian leader illegitimate, but will not make it an obstacle to negotiations

Ukrainian officials in the future could legally challenge any agreements signed by Vladimir Zelensky, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Despite this, he said Russia is not demanding that Zelensky step down.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected Zelensky's legitimacy since his presidential term lapsed last May. He has since postponed elections with successive extensions of martial law roughly every three months. Ukraine's parliament supported the latest extension last week.

In an interview with French weekly Le Point published on Wednesday, Peskov was asked whether Russia was demanding the Ukrainian leader's resignation.

"It's not one of our demands, but even if an agreement were signed with Zelensky today, people could come forward later in Ukraine and legally challenge his legitimacy," the spokesman said.

"This is in relation to martial law and certain articles of the Ukrainian Constitution... The role of the Rada is enshrined in the constitution, not that of the president," Peskov added.

Moscow maintains that the Ukrainian constitution allows Zelensky to transfer presidential authority to the current speaker of Ukraine's parliament, the Rada.

Russia does not insist on the Ukrainian leader stepping down as a precondition to starting bilateral talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said late last year. However, any final document would have to be signed with the de jure leader of Ukraine, he said.

"But if we ever get to the point of signing a document, it can only be done with the representatives of legitimate authorities, that is the bottom line," Putin said.

Russian officials have also pointed out that another hurdle to potential talks between Moscow and Kiev is Zelensky's decree banning any negotiations with Putin.

No direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have taken place since the collapse of the Istanbul negotiations in 2022. Then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson convinced Kiev to stop diplomacy and keep fighting, according to the head of Kiev's delegation, David Arakhamia.

(RT.com)