Vladimir Putin ready to negotiate with Ukraine, but not with Volodymyr Zelensky. And on one condition: the basis of the negotiations is the current situation on the ground, with Russia ‘master’ of the occupied territories. From Belarus, where he is engaged in yet another summit with his partner Aleksandr Lukashenko, Putin apparently sends conciliatory signals. In the words of the Russian president, however, there is also – and above all – something else.
The unacceptable condition for Kiev
The willingness to engage in dialogue, also reiterated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, is linked to an assumption that Kiev has already deemed unacceptable: Ukraine to date has never considered the cession of territories.
Under this condition, Putin adds another element by excluding the current Ukrainian president from the possible diplomatic framework. Zelensky’s “legitimacy”, says the Kremlin leader, “failed” after his mandate expired on May 20. Ukraine was due to hold elections in March, but the elections were canceled due to the war. “Of course we are aware that the legitimacy of the current head of state has waned,” Putin says.
Putin wants the removal of Volodymir Zelensky, writes Russian analyst Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of R.Politik, confirming that the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych has also arrived in Belarus, after the Russian president.
“Even if (his possible reappearance in Kiev, ed.) appears like a caricature, it is increasingly difficult to be surprised after the appointment of Andrei Belousov as Defense Minister”, explains Stanovaya, underlining that for the second time in a week Putin said , with a message to the West that Zelensky, whose term expired four days ago, is “illegitimate.”
“Zelensky illegitimate”, the attack on the Ukrainian president
The Ukrainian president is an obstacle to the negotiations, according to the Kremlin, where “they are meticulously studying the Ukrainian constitutional law and also suggesting ways to remove the President, citing the Constitutional Court and different options provided by the Constitution.”
Yanukovych, last seen in Belarus in March 2022, before the second round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations that began then, arrived in Gomel on a Falcon 900, the “Belarusski Gayun” website wrote. Also in Belarus with Putin are the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Serei Lavrov, and of Defense, Andrei Belousov.
Putin’s strategy
Why, then, the apparent opening with associated braking? Russian sources say Putin is theoretically ready to discuss an end to the war “only” because he “is desperately trying to derail the peace summit in Switzerland on June 15-16”, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. Putin, according to the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, “has no desire to end his aggression against Ukraine”. Russia is not expected to attend the summit in Switzerland. Putin, therefore, “fears the success of the initiative” in which he will not participate. To date, Switzerland has received more than 70 positive responses, most of them at the highest political level.
“Putin’s entourage sends these false signals of alleged readiness for a ceasefire despite the fact that Russian forces are continuing to brutally attack Ukraine while their missiles and drones rain down on Ukrainian cities and settlements,” adds Kuleba , in a tweet on Still.
Soon, the new message arrives from Moscow, this time signed by Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry. “The peace summit that Kuleba refers to is just another scam invented by the US State Department. Everyone understands it. How can you support a peace initiative and at the same time supply weapons destined for the conflict zone?”, he asks . “The real peace formula involves stopping the supply of weapons to Kiev.”
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