“Realities on the ground”
Putin sets conditions for Ukraine negotiations
24.05.2024, 20:55
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Putin repeatedly claims to be open to peace negotiations with Ukraine. Now the Kremlin chief is setting conditions during a visit to his ally Belarus. But for Kiev they probably sound more like capitulation. Especially since Putin doubts the legitimacy of President Zelenskyj.
More than two years after the start of his war of aggression against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again stressed his apparent willingness to negotiate – but not to return occupied and illegally annexed territories. “There is talk again that we need to return to negotiations,” Putin said during a visit to neighboring Belarus, according to the Interfax agency. He then added: “Let us return to them. But not based on what one side wants, but (…) based on today’s realities that have developed on the ground.”
Insiders had previously claimed that Putin was apparently ready for a ceasefire that recognized the current front line. “Putin can fight as long as necessary,” one of four people familiar with the discussions in Putin’s circle told the Reuters news agency. “But Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war.” Three of the insiders reported on statements made by the president to a small group of advisers. According to them, he was frustrated by attempts allegedly supported by the West to prevent negotiations.
In fact, Putin has often declared his willingness to negotiate, only to then play it down, as in an interview shortly before his confirmation as president: “We are definitely not ready for talks based on any kind of ‘wishful thinking’ that comes from taking psychoactive drugs, but we are ready for talks based on the realities that have developed on the ground.”
Russia has been waging open war against Ukraine since February 2022 and currently occupies around a fifth of the neighboring country. Ukraine repeatedly stresses that the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory is a condition for lasting peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the preconditions for talks set by Moscow. These include that Russia should be allowed to keep the territories it has occupied since the beginning of the invasion. An international peace conference on Ukraine is to be held in Switzerland in June, but Russia has not been invited.
Putin doubts Selenskyj’s legitimacy
In addition, at a press conference following talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, Putin cast doubt on Zelensky’s legitimacy for possible peace negotiations. The Kremlin chief claimed that Zelensky was no longer the legitimate president of Ukraine. He said: “Of course, we are aware that the legitimacy of the current head of state has expired.”
The background to this claim is that Zelensky’s five-year term was actually due to expire last Monday. However, martial law has been in effect in Ukraine for more than two years due to the Russian invasion – and therefore, according to the Ukrainian constitution, he will remain in office until new elections can be held.
During a visit to Kyiv a few days ago, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also confirmed that Zelensky was still legally in office. She defended the Ukrainian president against the “perfidious game” of Russian propaganda. Russian government officials have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that Zelensky’s term of office has officially expired over the past week.