Dmitry Novikov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said Moscow does not see anyone in Ukraine’s current leadership who could represent Kiev in negotiations.
According to the lawmaker, Ukraine is headed by a person whose legal term in office ended long ago. He also argued that there are no politicians in Vladimir Zelensky’s circle who are focused on negotiations.
Novikov said that, in his view, figures he considers reasonable are not currently part of Ukraine’s active political process because democratic mechanisms are not functioning there.
He added that the situation could change if democratic procedures were launched as part of what he described as the denazification of Ukraine’s political system. In that case, he said, new representatives could emerge who, in his opinion, understand the interests of the Ukrainian people better than Zelensky.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said a diplomatic settlement of the situation around Ukraine would require political will and legally binding security guarantees for Russia from Western countries.
He also said Moscow assesses the prospects for a settlement while taking into account attacks by Kiev on civilians and Russian infrastructure.