Putin: No peace talks without change in Ukrainian leadership
Vladimir Putin stated that a change in power in Ukraine is a prerequisite for negotiations with Russia. In doing so, the President of Russia once again undermined the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's authority and signaled that the Kremlin, contrary to assurances, does not intend to engage in peace talks.
6:01 AM EST, December 17, 2024
Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
On December 16, Putin presented a false thesis that the Ukrainian constitution only allows for the extension of the Verkhovna Rada's term but not the president's, even under martial law conditions. He claimed that Ukraine allegedly violated constitutional norms by extending Volodymyr Zelensky's term.
In reality, as noted by ISW, Ukrainian law clearly regulates the electoral process during martial law, which has been in effect since February 2022. Under such conditions, conducting presidential, parliamentary, or local elections is impossible. Therefore, the decision to suspend elections in 2024 is following legal and constitutional norms.
Manipulation jeopardizes peace negotiations?
Putin returned to the narrative of Ukraine's illegal authorities and stated that a change of power in Kyiv is a condition for any peace talks.
According to ISW, the Kremlin is not interested in honest talks and aims for maximum concessions from Ukraine, including attempts to remove the legitimate government.
"Kremlin officials continue to blatantly distort Ukraine's constitution to support a convenient narrative for themselves. This is consistent with longstanding Russian propaganda aimed at undermining Ukrainian sovereignty," ISW points out.
Source: ISW, Ukrainian Pravda
