Putin ready to talk to Zelenskyy ‘if necessary’: Kremlin

The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was ready to talk to Volodymyr Zelenskyy “if necessary” but repeated its questioning of his legitimacy as Ukrainian president.

“Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelenskyy if necessary but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelenskyy’s legitimacy can be questioned,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

 "Putin himself has repeatedly said that if necessary, he will also negotiate with Zelensky," the spokesman recalled.

"At the same time, how the agreements can be legally enshrined is the subject of serious discussion, taking into account the reality that speaks about the possibility of challenging the legitimacy of Zelensky himself," Peskov added.