Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns over the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s authority to sign any future peace agreement, though he indicated a willingness to engage in talks if Ukraine designates him as its representative.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin stated, “If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone to negotiate on its behalf, suit yourself, let it be Zelensky. The question is, who will sign the document?”
Putin underscored that a peace treaty must be signed by a legitimate authority. “The signature must come from legitimate authorities. Otherwise, whoever comes after him will toss it to the dumpster. That’s not a way to conduct serious business,” he said, as reported by Russian media outlet RT.
Zelensky’s official presidential term expired last year, and due to martial law, new elections have not been held. While Zelensky has insisted that he remains legally in office under wartime provisions, Russia has questioned his constitutional standing, citing Ukrainian laws that would otherwise transfer presidential powers to the speaker of parliament.
Putin emphasized the importance of legality over political narratives. “Propagandistically, one can say anything about the legitimacy of the current authorities, but we care about legal aspects and not propaganda when dealing with serious issues,” he added.
Putin also pointed out that many top Ukrainian officials were appointed by Zelensky, meaning their authority could also be called into question if his mandate is considered invalid.
Despite tensions, a major humanitarian gesture took place between the two nations. Russia returned the remains of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers recovered from frontline areas including Kursk, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye. In return, Ukraine handed over the remains of 27 Russian soldiers.
Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin official and Russia’s lead negotiator in prior peace talks, confirmed the exchange and said both sides had agreed to expedite “urgent sanitary exchanges” of severely wounded prisoners of war. He reiterated Russia’s position, stating, “Russia does not abandon its own people.”
The latest exchange follows earlier discussions in Istanbul. According to Russian sources, Moscow had previously offered to return over 6,000 Ukrainian bodies but accused Kyiv of delaying their acceptance. Russian Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin described the operation as a “purely humanitarian action.”
While prospects for a comprehensive peace deal remain uncertain, the dialogue around humanitarian cooperation continues, keeping open a limited channel between the two adversaries.
