Russian President Vladimir Putin implicitly recognized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Ukraine’s legitimate leader and a future negotiating partner for Russia in his latest interview but made it clear he is angling for the installation of a new leadership in Kyiv favorable to Kremlin interests.
Putin concedes Zelensky’s legitimacy while eyeing a pro-Kremlin leadership
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He made the following statements during his Feb. 24 interview with Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.
Putin described Zelensky as “toxic” for Ukrainian society and the military, arguing that he would lose any future presidential election to another Ukrainian political or military leader.
He said that “elections in Ukraine have not been held under the pretext of martial law,” implicitly acknowledging that Ukraine’s 2015 legal framework prohibits elections during martial law.
“We were interested in him sitting there,” Putin told Zarubin, adding that Zelensky is, in his view, “destroying Ukraine from within.”
Then Putin shifted focus to his plans for Ukraine’s political future, asserting that he is determined “to bring to power people who will enjoy the trust of the people of Ukraine.” This suggests potential future moves toward installing new leadership favorable to Kremlin interests.
In a further twist, Putin indirectly implied that these strategies are part of prior agreements with US President Donald Trump.
No Security, No Deal: Ukraine Links Rare Earth Agreement to US Guarantees
In another subtle departure from Russian narratives, Putin now also claimed that Russia “has nothing against” the preservation of Ukrainian statehood. But he insisted that Ukraine should “turn into a friendly neighboring state” and ensure its territory is not used as a “springboard for an attack against Russia.”
In its latest assessment the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) viewed Putin’s remarks as part of broader Russian information operations aimed at destabilizing Ukraine from within.
By implicitly recognizing Zelensky’s legitimacy and suggesting future negotiations, Putin appears to be shifting his rhetoric to justify potential talks while undermining Ukraine’s current government.
The ISW assessment indicates that, despite his new language, Putin’s underlying goal remains unchanged – a call for a regime change in Ukraine. His “repackaged demands” echo previous Kremlin narratives – such as “denazification” – used since 2021 to push for a pro-Kremlin government.
Kremlin ties rare earth deals to a Russian-friendly peace settlement in Ukraine
Putin offered to make a deal with the US on Russian rare earth minerals, saying, “We would be ready to offer [cooperation] to our American partners, I mean not only administrative and government structures, but also companies, if they showed interest in working together.”
He claimed that Russia possesses an order of magnitude more resources “of this kind” than Ukraine.
Putin added, “Russia is one of the undisputed leaders in reserves of these rare earth metals. These are quite capital-intensive investments. We would be happy to work together with any foreign partners, including the Americans.”
He further added that regarding the Ukrainian lands seized by Russia, the country is prepared to attract foreign partners, including US entities, to participate in related ventures.
ISW analysts said, “The Kremlin is framing any future US-Russian cooperation on rare earth minerals as conditional on the conclusion of a Russian-friendly peace deal on the war in Ukraine.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated on Feb. 25 that any US-Russia cooperation on rare earth minerals would only happen once bilateral relations are normalized and a peace settlement is reached in Ukraine.
ISW assessed that Russian officials used the recent US-Russian talks in Saudi Arabia to push the United States into accepting economic benefits unrelated to the war, in exchange for concessions on issues tied to the conflict.
ISW further warned that if the US accepts these measures without demanding any Russian concessions on Ukraine, it could lose valuable leverage needed to secure a lasting peace that benefits both the United States and Ukraine.
Putin appears open to European talks but remains firm on no concessions
When asked whether European leaders understand the situation surrounding Ukraine, Putin claimed that they are “connected with the current regime, they are engaged.” He argued that domestic political challenges, including elections and parliamentary difficulties, make it “practically impossible for them to change their position.”
In contrast, Putin described Trump as acting “straightforwardly and without any particular embarrassment.” He added, “He is in a unique position: he does not just say what he thinks, he says what he wants.”
During the interview, Zarubin said that European leaders continue to demand a role in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine and asked Putin for his view.
“Probably no one can demand anything here, especially from Russia. Let them demand from someone else. Let them sit at home with their demands and think about how they got to this point in their lives,” Putin said.
However, he acknowledged that European participation in negotiations remains relevant, stating that Moscow has never refused their involvement. “At some point, under all sorts of far-fetched ideas to defeat Russia on the battlefield, they refused to contact us. If they want to return, please do,” he said.
ISW assessed that Putin attempted to present himself as open to European participation in negotiations on Ukraine while making it clear that Russia remains unwilling to make concessions.
Putin also emphasized Russia’s respect for the positions of its “friends” in BRICS and stated that “other countries have the right and can participate” in discussions about the war and efforts to achieve peace.
He specifically highlighted his recent call with Chinese President Xi Jinping and praised China’s efforts to discuss peace in Ukraine.
China and Brazil – both BRICS members – have previously put forward peace proposals that heavily favor Russia. Putin’s remarks suggest he is positioning these countries as potential participants in future negotiations, according to ISW.
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