Zelenskyy says Russia is behind claims his presidency will be illegitimate after May

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the Kremlin has been paying for a campaign that claims his presidency will no longer be legitimate as of this May.

Source: President Zelenskyy during a press conference following the Ukraine. Year 2024 conference

Quote from Zelenskyy: "As for the question of legitimacy [i.e. the claims that Zelenskyy will no longer be a legitimate president as of May 2024 - ed.] – this isn’t what [our] Western partners or people in Ukraine think, it’s the Russian Federation’s narrative and campaign. The G7 intelligence services have evidence. It’s obvious to everyone that this is a Russian campaign. Everyone, absolutely everyone, is against this [declaring Zelenskyy’s presidency illegitimate while the war is ongoing - ed.]."

Details: Zelenskyy said that French President Emmanuel Macron will be the first G7 leader to visit Ukraine in the near future, and journalists will be able to ask him whether he thinks Zelenskyy will still be a legitimate president in May, when his first presidential term is due to end.

The Ukrainian president said several G7 leaders have even named people inside Ukraine who are spreading this narrative.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "It’s a bad idea. I see this as a treacherous position with regard to Ukraine. It’s a real campaign, and there is evidence to confirm this: it’s a campaign by the Russian Federation. I know that some US journalists also have access to this evidence.

These documents even specify the amounts of money that certain institutions have been paid or will be paid to raise this issue. I won’t say [who], but I’ve seen them."

Background:

• Last presidential elections in Ukraine took place in May 2019 and saw the election of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His presidential term was set to last five years, but elections do not take place under martial law and the sitting president remains in office.
• Some in the US believe that elections should be held in Ukraine in 2024, even with the Russian invasion still ongoing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would like to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine in 2024, but this requires legislative changes, funds from partners and international observers even on the front lines.

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