Putin says acting skills may not help new Ukrainian president
Putin said that the fact that the Ukrainian President had played the role of president did not mean he had the skills to become a real leader.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Belgium on June 5. Photo:AFP. |
"I don't know this person, I hope we will meet someday," President Putin said on June 7 at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg when asked why he did not congratulate new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he took office in May.
"He seems to be very good at what he does, a good actor," Putin added. "But playing a person and actually being a leader are two very different things."
Zelensky, 41, was a comedian before being elected president of Ukraine in April, succeeding Petro Poroshenko, who led Ukraine after the overthrow of Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Zelensky is best known for his role as a teacher who becomes head of state in the TV series "Servant of the People".
"To act, you need talent. But to deal with state issues you need other skills, experience, certain knowledge. You need to recognize problems and find tools to solve them," the Russian President said.
Putin insisted he was not saying that Zelensky "does not have these qualities, but the Ukrainian president has not proven himself".
Relations between Russia and Ukraine deteriorated after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and Ukraine accused Russia of supporting separatists in the east of the country. In April, Russia issued a decree simplifying the procedure for obtaining naturalization for Ukrainian citizens in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, a move strongly opposed by Ukraine.
