On May 20 local time, Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, delivered a speech at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, urging the Ukrainian authorities to seize the last opportunity to retain their status as a subject of international law and to start peace talks as soon as possible.
Medvedev, RT News
According to RT News, Medvedev clearly stated that Russia does not recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian regime, but "the Ukrainian leadership still has the opportunity to maintain a certain degree of national status after the military action ends by meeting specific conditions, thereby obtaining the status of a subject of international law and creating possibilities for peaceful development."
Medvedev emphasized that although the Ukrainian government has de facto lost its sovereignty and become a failed "quasi-state entity," Russia is still willing to seek fundamental solutions to the conflict based on the current battlefield reality and the principle of unconditional direct negotiations. He particularly reminded that the main obstacle facing peace talks is the lack of a legally binding signing representative on the Ukrainian side; any agreement signed by the current government may be overturned by subsequent regimes.
It is worth noting that the statutory term of office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended in 2023, but elections have been repeatedly postponed due to wartime conditions. Although the Russian side has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Zelenskyy's rule, Kremlin spokesman Peskov once hinted that, for the purpose of restarting the peace talks process, Russia might temporarily overlook his legal status issue.
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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7506718431564120617/
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