Russian leader Vladimir Putin fears President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was elected by the people of Ukraine, thus spreading nonsense about his supposed illegitimacy.
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this in a statement on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrinform.
The statement notes that until February 24, 2022, Russia claimed that it had no intention of attacking Ukraine. Exactly three years ago, tens of thousands of Russian troops invaded Ukraine with the aim of killing a president elected in free elections, overthrowing a democratically elected government, murdering as many Ukrainians as possible, subverting the entire country and using it as a tool of attack against other states.
“Vladimir Putin, who was never elected in free elections, is therefore afraid of President Zelensky and is spreading unfounded nonsense about his illegitimacy. Although today Russia declares its interest in ending the conflict, its actions are only escalating the aggression,” the statement reads.
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Russia’s aggression, which has its roots in the occupation of Crimea and the triggering of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, is a constant threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire free world. Ukraine has been facing Russian aggression for many years, defending its right to freely choose its path of development and paying a heavy price for it in the form of daily human and material sacrifices.
“We support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The borders of states cannot be changed by force – we will continue to consider Crimea and parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, which are currently illegally occupied by the Russian army, as indivisible parts of Ukraine. Any future agreements must reflect this indisputable fact,” the statement said.
It added that a just and lasting peace must be achieved in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter. Czech diplomats reiterated that the primary purpose of the United Nations, as enshrined in the UN Charter, is to maintain international peace and security and to resolve disputes peacefully.
“Peace cannot be achieved by yielding to the aggressor. Through its aggression, Russia not only seeks to destroy Ukraine but also to weaken our freedom, prosperity, and the security architecture in Europe, thereby attempting to undermine NATO and the EU,” the statement said.
The ministry added that Czechia would continue to stand by Ukraine and provide it with all the necessary assistance, including support on its path to restoring its territorial integrity and integrating into Euro-Atlantic structures.
“The equation is simple. Supporting Ukraine is tantamount to strengthening Europe’s security, and Czech diplomacy will do everything possible to strengthen that security through its actions,” the ministry said.
As reported, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who is serving his fifth term as president of Russia, claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, due to his “illegitimacy,” supposedly has no right to sign documents following potential negotiations with Moscow. The Kremlin leader argues that the powers of the Ukrainian president have allegedly expired, as Ukraine’s Constitution does not allow for their extension during martial law, though this is provided for the Verkhovna Rada.
Later, U.S. President Donald Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky, calling him a “comedian” and a “dictator,” accusing him of refusing to hold elections.
February 24, 2025, marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
Source: Putin fears Zelensky, spreads nonsense about his illegitimacy – Czech MFA
