The State Duma assessed Zelensky's unwillingness to accept US and Russian decisions on Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (his term of office expired on May 20, 2024) does not have the status of a legitimate leader of the country. Svetlana Zhurova, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma's committee for international affairs, recalled this on Monday, 17 February, when responding to the Ukrainian leader's statement about his refusal to accept any decisions by Russia and the USA on Ukraine.

On February 16, Zelensky said that he would refuse to accept the decisions of the United States and Russia on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, 360.ru reported. He noted that Ukraine knew nothing about the negotiations in Saudi Arabia, reports NSN.

"Zelensky's legitimacy is quite conditional, as our President[Vladimir Putin] has said repeatedly. Zelensky will not be able to sign these agreements anyway, it will be necessary to hold elections in Ukraine. It will be possible to talk to a new, legitimate president who will have all the powers. Most likely, only the Verkhovna Rada can negotiate at the moment," the MP said in a conversation with Lenta.Ru.

Sense of contact: Putin and Trump agree on diplomatic solution to Ukraine crisis

In an hour and a half, they also discussed prisoner exchanges, the situation in the Middle East and the Iran nuclear deal

On 16 February, The Washington Post reported that Zelensky and the head of the Ukrainian leader's office, Andriy Yermak, would miss the meeting of the US delegation and representatives of the Russian side, which was organized in Saudi Arabia, RT reported.

In turn, the US president's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Whitkoff said that the US delegation went to Saudi Arabia on February 16 for talks with the Russian Federation, according to the website kp.ru. At the same time, he disagreed with statements about the absence of Ukraine in the negotiation process.

Earlier, on February 13, US President Donald Trump announced a meeting of representatives of Russia, the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, Regnum news agency reported. The mass media reported that high-ranking representatives of Moscow and Washington might meet in the Arab kingdom in late February to prepare a summit of the two presidents.