Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed he was ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Still, the Russian autocrat questioned the Ukrainian president’s legitimacy, calling into doubt who would have the right to sign any potential agreements.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said:
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
“We are ready to meet… I am ready to meet with everyone, including Zelensky… If the Ukrainian state trusts someone to negotiate, for God’s sake, let it be Zelensky.”
However, Putin immediately cast doubt on whether Zelensky has the legal authority to represent Ukraine, claiming that presidential powers are not extended during martial law – only the parliament’s term is.
“It says that elections are not held under martial law. That’s true. But nowhere does it say that the president’s powers continue. No, that’s all,” he claimed.
Putin argued that if Zelensky is “illegitimate,” so is the rest of Ukraine’s government.
“Why am I saying this? We don’t care who is negotiating, even if it’s the current head of the regime. I’m ready to meet – but only if it’s the final stage. The signature must come from a legitimate government. Otherwise, the next government will just throw it all in the trash.”
Despite the contradictions, Putin said Russia is ready to end its war “as soon as possible” and that talks are ongoing on a humanitarian track, including the potential for another negotiation round after June 22.
Other Topics of Interest
Russia Sends Drone Swarm From Five Directions in Overnight Assault
Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 88, but several targets were hit across the country.
“Believe me, we also want to end the war, and as soon as possible. And better – peacefully, if we could agree,” he claimed, warning Ukraine not to delay talks or “the situation for Kyiv could worsen even more.”
Putin also denied that Russia’s June 17 strikes on Kyiv targeted civilians, despite extensive damage to residential buildings and civilian casualties.
“If your journalists had seen how our missiles destroyed entire residential blocks, they would hardly have been able to tell you anything about it because they would not have survived,” he said.
“What they saw was from the side. The strikes were not on residential areas but on defense industry targets, on factories producing military equipment,” Putin added, insisting the attacks are part of Russia’s goal of “demilitarizing Ukraine.”
He also offered to transfer the bodies of another 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers, claiming such exchanges are a positive result of talks in Istanbul.
“We gave more than 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, but we received only 57 in return. We are ready to give another 3,000 now,” Putin said.
He claimed that both sides had already agreed on a prisoner exchange of 1,200 people, with Russia handing over 500 and receiving 400 in return.
Separately, Putin rejected Western fears of a Russian attack on NATO countries, calling it “an incredible lie.”
“Whatever NATO does, of course, it creates certain threats, but we will stop all of them,” he said. “In this sense, any rearmament and increasing the budgets of NATO countries to 5% of GDP makes no sense.”
Putin repeated Kremlin talking points, blaming the West for the war, referencing the 2014 Revolution of Dignity as a “coup” and accusing Ukraine of violating the Minsk agreements.
According to him, Russia ultimately decided to “put an end to this conflict” – referring to Ukraine’s anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in Donbas in response to Russia’s initial invasion – by using military force.
“What does this mean? That we are going to attack Eastern Europe? Nonsense. As one of Hitler’s propagandists once said: ‘The more incredible the lie, the faster it will be believed,’” Putin said.
“The claim that Russia plans to attack Europe or NATO countries is the most incredible lie they are trying to sell to the people of Western Europe. It’s absolute nonsense. Dr. Goebbels would probably believe it- and maybe someone in Europe does too,” he added.
