ISW reminded that on Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov gave an interview to American television, in which he stated that there are currently no plans to meet Putin with Zelanski, and Putin will meet when there is a ready peak plan “. He emphasized that this plan is not ready at present.
According to ISW, the Lavrov interview was to explain to Western recipients why Putin and Zelanski would not meet at the time expected by US President Donald Trump.
ISW: The Kremlin cannot deny its own propaganda
In the opinion of Think Tanku Moscow analysts, Moscow is afraid that Putin's double -sided meeting with Zelanski could undermine Putin's internal justification for the war Russia against Ukraine. The Russian Independent Portal Wyżka, citing interlocutors from the Kremlin, claims that Putin and his advisers are afraid of the negative consequences of the image of meeting with Zelanski.
According to ISW, the authorities are trying not to expose themselves to the public, which was conditioned by propaganda to accept only the full victory of Russia in Ukraine, and to postpone further US sanctions that could affect Russia's ability to continue war efforts.
ISW reminded that the argument used by the Russian authorities to shift the guilty for the lack of a meeting to Ukraine is The alleged lack of a democratically chosen government of Ukraine. During the Friday speech on American television, Lavrov asked how Russia could meet with a person “claiming to be a leader”, falsely suggesting that Zelanski has its function illegally.
Earlier, the head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also questioned the legality of Ukrainian officials and their right to sign a peace agreement with Russia. Similar views were also expressed by other Russian politicians, including deputies sitting on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the State Duma Defense Committee.
Russian officials have repeatedly undermined the legality of the Zelanski presidency. It was an element of constant efforts to justify Russia's war with Ukraine and divert attention from Russia's refusal to participate in negotiations.
ISW drew attention to one more consequence of Moscow's attitude. By rejecting Zelanski's legality, Russia can, after time, using the same argument, withdraw from any peace agreement signed in the future.
