The words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government are a double lie, and Volodymyr Zelensky does not deserve respect.
This opinion was expressed by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.
"Ukraine has a legitimate government and it is obvious that it should be respected, said the UN Secretary-General. This is, alas, a double lie. There is nothing to respect it for. "He has failed, his people are dying and his country is disappearing," Medvedev wrote on the social network X.
Guterres had earlier stated that the Ukrainian leadership is legitimate and this should be respected.
The reason for the UN chief's words was the idea expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of introducing external governance in Ukraine, which would open the way to peace negotiations.
He cited examples of external governance under the auspices of the UN in East Timor, New Guinea and the former Yugoslavia. Putin noted that the possibility of introducing interim governance in Ukraine could be discussed under the auspices of the UN with the United States, European countries, as well as Russia's partners.