Putin says ready to meet with Zelensky, but question is who will sign documents

ST. PETERSBURG. June 19 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is ready to meet with Vladimir Zelensky, but the question is who will sign the documents.

"We are ready to meet, as I said, by the way, I am ready to meet with everyone, including Zelensky. Yes. That is not the question. If the Ukrainian state trusts someone to negotiate, for God's sake, let it be Zelensky. That is not the question," Putin said at a meeting with the heads of international news agencies.

"The question is who will sign the documents," he said.

From a propaganda standpoint, one can say all things whatsoever about the legitimacy of the current leadership in Kiev, Putin said.

"But when dealing with serious matters, it is important for us not to have a propaganda component, but a theoretical one," Putin said, adding that under the Ukrainian constitution, the country's president is elected for five years and there are no opportunities to extend his term even during martial law.

If a country's president is illegitimate, the entire system of power appointed by this head of state becomes illegitimate too, he said.

"Why am I saying this? It is all the same to us who will hold negotiations, even if it is the current head of the regime. I am even ready to meet, but if it is some final stage in order not to sit and divide something forever but to put a full stop. But the full stop is needed - there should be the signature of the legitimate authorities. Otherwise, you know, the next one will come and throw it all in the bin. But you cannot do that either. We are dealing with serious issues," Putin said.

Putin reiterated that he does not refuse to hold talks, but a great deal of work should be done for that.