According to the Russian president, “the Ukrainian leadership made a fundamental, strategic mistake, when it was afraid to hold elections.”

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky “lost his legitimate status” as the country’s president, Putin pointed out.

Under Ukrainian law, presidential elections should have been held in May 2024; however, Zelensky refused to hold them, citing martial law. Moscow has considered him an illegitimate leader since.

Putin noted that while Russia is also locked in a military conflict, it nevertheless held presidential elections in March 2024. https://www.rt.com/russia/628566-putin-ukraine-agreement-impossible/