Russia will sign a peace treaty only with the legitimate authorities of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this on December 19 during a combined direct line and press conference.
The statement by the head of the Russian state is quoted by MIA "Russia Today" .
What Putin said about making peace with Ukraine
The Russian President stated that Moscow will sign a peace treaty only with the legitimate authorities of Ukraine.
According to him, the legitimate authorities of Ukraine are currently the Verkhovna Rada and its speaker.
This is a purely formal legal issue, the head of the Russian state noted.
He clarified that Moscow will talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if he holds elections and gains legitimacy.
The Russian president stressed that Russia needs a lasting peace, not a truce.
This peace, Putin continued, must provide guarantees for Russia and its citizens.
It is a difficult question how to provide these guarantees. But in general, we can look for them, the Russian leader added.
He also commented on the initiative of the head of the Hungarian government, Viktor Orban, on a Christmas truce.
According to Putin, Moscow agreed to short-term ceasefires at least three times, but Kyiv refused.
