Russia sets conditions for signing peace treaty with Ukraine

According to RIA Novosti on February 10, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said in an interview with RIA Novosti, for Russia.

It is "extremely important" that potential peace deals with Ukraine be signed by the legitimate leadership, and Volodymyr Zelensky's decree banning negotiations with Moscow and its illegality could "complicate the negotiation process and the recording of the results of negotiations".

Diplomat Nebenzya noted that Russia has always stressed its readiness for dialogue “with all those interested in finding a sustainable, lasting peace on mutually acceptable terms.” However, he added, in the context of the Ukrainian story, the question is: who will sign potential peace agreements and how will they be legally formalized.

Thus, Mr. Nebenzye recalled that President Zelensky, through his decree, banned negotiations with Russia, and the powers of the "head of the Kiev government" expired in May last year and, according to the Constitution of Ukraine, cannot be extended.

“These factors can complicate the negotiation process and the recording of the results. If the negotiations are illegal, then the results of the negotiations can be declared legally invalid. It is fundamentally important that those who sign peace agreements have the legal authority to do so,” said Mr. Nebenzya.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that if there is a desire to find a compromise solution, negotiations on Ukraine can be held with anyone. While Putin stressed that Zelensky, without legal guarantees, has no right to sign anything. Putin reiterated that Kiev should find a way to cancel the previous decree signed by Zelensky prohibiting negotiations - this could be done, for example, by the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament.

If Mr. Zelensky himself wants to participate in the negotiations, the Russian leader has expressed his readiness to assign special people for this purpose.