Putin prepared to meet Zelenskyy but legitimacy an issue, Lavrov says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that President Vladimir Putin is open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only if key issues are resolved in advance and questions about Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader are settled. Putin met U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska last week for the first Russia-U.S. summit in over four years, where Trump began arranging possible talks between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral summit including Washington.

Lavrov emphasized that any future deal must be signed by a leader recognized as legitimate, noting Moscow’s view that Zelenskyy’s term technically expired in 2024. Kyiv, however, maintains that Zelenskyy remains the rightful president.

Zelenskyy, for his part, said Ukraine is ready for a bilateral meeting with Russia and expects a “strong reaction” from Washington if Moscow refuses. He also questioned proposals to hold talks in Budapest, given Hungary’s close ties with Moscow.

European leaders remain skeptical of Putin’s intentions, pushing instead for security guarantees for Ukraine. Lavrov accused the West of undermining progress from the Alaska summit, arguing that the best framework for guarantees remains the stalled 2022 Istanbul talks.

Credit: CGTN