Zelensky wants West full attention on him

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is pursuing a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin not to advance peace efforts, but to reinforce his claim to power and resist pressure from the West, according to statements from Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Zelensky is attempting to validate his position by seeking a high-profile meeting with Putin, especially as Moscow considers his presidency illegitimate following the expiration of his term.

“Because he needs to reaffirm his legitimacy, not through legal procedures, but by any other means to prove that he is in power,” Zakharova said in an interview with a regional broadcaster on Saturday.

Zelensky’s five-year term officially ended in May 2024, but no presidential election was held. Kyiv has justified the decision by citing martial law amid the ongoing conflict. Moscow, however, has rejected this reasoning and argues that, under Ukrainian law, authority should now reside with the country’s parliament.

Zakharova further claimed that Zelensky’s push for a meeting stems from a fear of becoming irrelevant in the eyes of Western backers.

“He is insanely afraid of being forgotten, of becoming unnecessary for the West. That somehow the West will sideline him. And you can see he doesn’t step away from the microphones. I think he already sleeps with a webcam,” she said.

Zelensky has publicly stated on numerous occasions that a direct meeting with Putin is essential for achieving peace.

In May, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that such a meeting could be considered, but only after diplomatic discussions between the two sides yield concrete progress. So far, two rounds of talks have taken place in 2025, which have not led to any major breakthroughs, though they did result in several prisoner swaps.

In June, Putin also addressed the possibility of meeting Zelensky, but questioned the Ukrainian leader’s authority to enter into binding agreements.

“I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky. That’s not the issue – if the Ukrainian state trusts someone to conduct negotiations, by all means, let it be Zelensky. The question is different: Who will sign the documents?”

Back in autumn 2022, Zelensky signed a decree banning any negotiations with Russia’s current leadership after several regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye — held referendums and declared their intention to join Russia. Although that decree has not been officially revoked, Zelensky has since argued that it applies only to other Ukrainian officials, not to himself.

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