Russia sets conditions for signing a peace treaty with Ukraine.
Russian representatives stated that a peace agreement can only be reached with the legitimate government of Ukraine.
According to RIA Novosti on February 10, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, stated in an interview with RIA Novosti that, regarding Russia...
"It is extremely important" that potential peace agreements with Ukraine be signed by legitimate leaders, and Volodymyr Zelensky's decree banning negotiations with Moscow, along with its illegality, could "complicate the negotiation process and the recording of the negotiation results."
Diplomat Nebenzya noted that Russia has always emphasized its readiness to engage in dialogue “with all those interested in finding a lasting, sustainable peace on terms acceptable to both sides.” However, he added that, in the context of the Ukraine story, the question is: who will sign potential peace agreements and how will they be legally formalized?
Therefore, Nebenzye reiterated that Ukrainian President Zelensky, through his decree, has banned negotiations with Russia, and the authority of the "head of the Kiev administration" expired last May and, according to the Ukrainian Constitution, cannot be renewed.
"These factors can complicate the negotiation process and the recording of negotiation results. If the negotiations are illegal, then the results may be declared legally invalid. It is fundamentally important that those signing peace agreements have the legal authority to do so,” Nebenzya said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously stated that, if there was a desire to find a compromise solution, negotiations on Ukraine could be conducted with anyone. While emphasizing that leader Zelensky, due to a lack of legitimacy, had no right to sign anything, Putin reiterated that Kyiv needed to find a way to overturn the previous decree signed by Zelensky prohibiting negotiations – something that could be done, for example, by the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.
If President Zelensky himself wishes to participate in the negotiations, the Russian leader has expressed his willingness to assign special individuals for this purpose.
