In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan published on February 4, when asked about the possibility of meeting President Putin, President Zelensky did not deny it. He emphasized: "If that is the only option to bring peace to the Ukrainian people and not lose more lives, we will definitely conduct this meeting."
Despite expressing his willingness to negotiate, President Zelensky asserted that he had no sympathy for the Russian leader: “I consider him an enemy. And frankly, I believe that he also considers me an enemy.”
The statement marks a significant shift in President Zelensky’s stance, as he has repeatedly stated that he would not negotiate with President Putin. In 2022, the Ukrainian government issued a decree banning all negotiations with Russia as long as President Putin remains in power. However, Zelensky has recently said that the ban only applies to other Ukrainian officials, not himself.
On the Russian side, President Putin also expressed his readiness to negotiate, but emphasized that Mr. Zelensky no longer has the legitimacy to sign any agreement, as his presidential term ended in May 2024 without any constitutional mechanism to extend it.
“If he wants to engage in dialogue, I will send people to negotiate. But as an illegitimate leader, he has no right to sign anything,” President Putin said.
Despite new signals from both sides, Ukraine's ban on negotiations remains a major obstacle, according to President Putin. Russia also said it would assess the legitimacy of any negotiating team from Kiev.
Observers question whether this is a real turning point towards peace in Ukraine, or just a political move by Mr. Zelensky in the context of prolonged conflict and increasing pressure from the West?
