Trump dismisses Russian doubts over Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as 'posturing'

WASHINGTON

Recent statements from Russian officials questioning the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amount to "posturing," US President Donald Trump said Tuesday.

“It doesn’t matter what they say. Everybody’s posturing. It’s all bulls‑‑-,” Trump told reporters following an over three-hour-long Cabinet meeting at the White House.

He was responding to a question on remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who on Sunday questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit," Lavrov told broadcaster NBC News. "Legitimacy is another matter."

"We recognize him (Zelenskyy) as the de facto head of the regime, and in this capacity, we are ready to meet with him. But when it comes to signing legal documents...we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate and, according to the Ukrainian Constitution, Mr. Zelenskyy is not at the moment," he claimed.

Lavrov also said Putin conveyed Moscow's readiness to continue direct peace talks with Kyiv during his latest phone call with Trump but that a top-level summit, such as between Putin and Zelenskyy, must be “very well prepared.”

At an Aug. 15 meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump suggested that the leaders of the two warring countries could hold direct talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war.

The US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff said at the Cabinet meeting that talks would be held this week on the conflict and that he hoped to end the war by the end of the year.

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said contacts were planned this week with countries that may host a potential summit with the Russian side.