What do Putin’s new demands indicate? ISW analysis

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he considers the current Ukrainian government “illegitimate.” 

He is convinced that it is impossible to reach a peace agreement with the current Ukrainian authorities, Caliber.Az reports, citing analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

According to ISW, in his usual manner, Putin called into question the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In addition, the Russian president stated that reaching a peace agreement with the current Ukrainian government is allegedly impossible, effectively ruling out the possibility of serious negotiations.

Putin said he “do[es] not see much point” in negotiating with Ukraine, explaining that reaching an agreement with Kyiv is allegedly “impossible.” At the same time, he set forth a new demand: even if a peace agreement were signed, Ukraine must lift martial law, hold presidential elections, and then organise a “national referendum to codify the agreement.”

ISW analysts noted that Putin and other Kremlin officials have repeatedly questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, deliberately misrepresenting the norms of the Ukrainian Constitution. Experts believe these statements are part of Putin’s strategy — portraying Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership as partners with whom it is impossible to negotiate or sign a peace deal.

According to ISW, this demonstrates once again Putin’s lack of interest in substantive negotiations to end the war. It also shows that the Kremlin leader seeks to postpone or prolong talks, and that his statements are an attempt to justify Russia’s outright refusal to negotiate, while shifting the blame onto Ukraine for the collapse of the diplomatic process.

By Vugar Khalilov