Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized the statements made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that representatives of the Russian Federation, who have been in power for many years, have no grounds to discuss the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Response from the Ukrainian Side
“There is nothing more absurd than a lecture on legitimacy from a person who has been sitting in his chair for 21 years, serving someone who has ruled for over 25 years. He has no legitimacy to talk about legitimacy. Such unfounded statements indicate that Russia is rejecting peaceful efforts.”
Andrii Sybiha’s comment was a response to Sergey Lavrov’s interview with the American television channel NBC, where the Russian minister stated that “Zelensky is currently not” a legitimate leader of Ukraine. According to Sybiha, such statements from Russia are an attempt to discredit the Ukrainian government and undermine the peace process.
Assessment by Western Analysts
Experts from the American Institute for the Study of War note that Kremlin officials regularly repeat the “old and false” thesis about the alleged illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government. In the analysts’ view, this is part of Russia’s strategy to manipulate future negotiations regarding a ceasefire and to potentially abandon any agreements at a convenient moment for Moscow.
The ISW emphasizes that to achieve lasting peace, Russia must clearly recognize the legitimacy of the current President of Ukraine, the government, the Constitution, and the sovereignty of the state. Analysts also noted that Lavrov’s interview with NBC was used to promote the “explicit rejection by the Kremlin” of U.S. initiatives for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. Thus, the Russian minister was likely attempting to influence the political discourse in the U.S. and shape public opinion in favor of Russia.