American President Donald Trump reacted sharply to recent statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov questioning the legitimacy of Vladimir Zelensky.

On August 24, Lavrov told NBC News that Moscow was open to talks with the Ukrainian leader, but emphasized that when it came to signing legally binding documents, there had to be absolute clarity that the signatory possessed legitimate authority. He stressed that, under Ukraine’s constitution, Zelensky no longer holds such status.

Two days later, on August 26, the issue was raised during a White House cabinet meeting. Reporters addressed a question to Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, asking him to comment on Lavrov’s remarks. Before Witkoff could reply, Trump interrupted and answered himself.

The president dismissed the discussion, saying it did not matter what was being said, describing the situation as mere posturing and nonsense. Afterward, Trump turned back to Witkoff, asking if he had anything to add. The envoy responded that he fully agreed with the president.

It should be noted that Zelensky’s presidential mandate expired on May 20, 2024-exactly five years after his inauguration in 2019.