Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a news conference of Russian President
Vladimir Putin after a meeting of the State Council on youth policy in
Moscow, Russia, December 22, 2022. Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via
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Kremlin says Russia is open to talks with Ukraine while Zelenskiy is in power but needs more details
MOSCOW,
July 25 (Reuters) - The Kremlin signalled on Thursday it was open to
negotiations with Ukraine on ending the conflict while Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remains in power despite publicly doubting
his legitimacy to rule.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said
on Wednesday during a visit to China that Kyiv was prepared for talks
with Russia provided Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity
were fully respected, though he said that Ukraine has seen no sign of
that.
The
Kremlin, while signalling its readiness for talks on its own terms, has
publicly called into question Zelenskiy's mandate to rule, pointing out
that his five-year term in office expired in May and that he should
have called an election.
Zelenskiy
and the West say it is necessary to suspend normal political rules at a
time of war and that the Kremlin, given Russia's own tightly-controlled
political system, is in no position to criticise.
When
asked on Thursday whether Russia would be ready to hold talks with
Ukraine while Zelenskiy was in power, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov
told reporters:
"Russia
is generally open to a negotiation process. But first we have to
understand how ready the Ukrainian side is for this and how much the
Ukrainian side has permission for this from its handlers."
Moscow depicts Zelenskiy as a U.S. puppet, a characterisation he rejects.
"Because
so far you see very different statements being made, and it is not
quite clear yet. Besides, in addition to the problem with Zelenskiy's
legitimacy, there is also a problem with a (Ukrainian) legal ban on
having any contacts and negotiations with the Russian side. Therefore,
there is still a lot to be clarified and clarifications to be heard,"
said Peskov.
Pressed
during a conference call if the Kremlin could envisage negotiating with
Zelenskiy or categorically ruled out such a possibility, Peskov said:
"The
question is not an easy one. From a legal point of view this problem
(of his legitimacy) is on the agenda, but from a practical point of view
we are open to achieving our goals through negotiations. Therefore,
different options are possible here."
Reuters reported in May that Putin was ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire but the Kremlin chief was prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West did not respond.
Putin
in June said Russia would end the war in Ukraine, something he calls a
special military operation, only if Kyiv agreed to drop its NATO
ambitions and hand over the entirety of four provinces claimed by
Moscow, demands Kyiv swiftly rejected as tantamount to surrender.
Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Lucy Papachristou Editing by Andrew Osborn