Egypt Daily News - Russian President, Vladimir Putin, confirmed from the capital of Belarus, today, Friday, that the legitimacy of Ukrainian President, Vladimir Zelensky, has ended, indicating that the question with whom negotiations on Ukraine will be held is not a question in a vacuum.

Putin said in a press conference following Russian-Belarusian discussions today: “How should we conduct negotiations? This is a question not in a vacuum. We realize that the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian president has ended.”

Putin also added: “Of course, we must understand who we are dealing with, and with whom we can deal in order to sign legally binding documents, and then, we must be absolutely sure that we are dealing with legitimate authorities.”

He continued, "Moscow supports negotiations on Ukraine and has not prevented anyone from holding them, unlike the West, which has set its goal as victory over Russia."

He also said, "We did not prevent anyone from negotiating. We support the negotiations," adding, "But at the instigation and suggestion of the Western guardians of the Kiev regime, the goal was set to achieve the strategic defeat of Russia and victory over it on the battlefield."

Promotional move
In addition, the Russian President stated that the goal of the conference held in Switzerland is to confirm Zelensky’s legitimacy, indicating that this is a promotional step that has no legal implications.

Putin said: “I believe that one of the goals of the Geneva Conference, which was announced, is to confirm the Western community, which is sponsoring Kiev, the legitimacy of the current head of state, which no longer exists, but these general promotional steps have nothing to do with legal documents.”