"Goat with a bell": Trump sparks dispute with Lavrov over Zelenskyy

Lavrov earlier stated that Moscow is ready to negotiate with Zelenskyy as the head of the current regime, but not as the legitimately elected president of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also expressed the opinion that the lack of legitimacy of the head of the Ukrainian state calls into question the legitimacy of the entire system of power in the country. At the same time, Germany has noted that some of Zelenskyy's decisions may contradict the country's constitution, while in Kyiv, it is reported that they believe his continued stay in power is beneficial for Ukraine.

Trump's reaction

In response to a question from journalists about Moscow's position regarding Zelenskyy's legitimacy, Trump stated that such statements are of no real significance. "It doesn't matter what they say. Everyone is posturing. It's all nonsense," the American leader said. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to whom the question was also addressed, supported Trump's opinion.

Russia's position

Vladimir Putin on June 19, 2025, at a meeting with heads of international news agencies, emphasized that if the first person of Ukraine is illegitimate, then the entire system of power in the country becomes so. He noted that it is necessary to find a long-term solution to settle the conflict.

"It is necessary not just to settle the conflict in Ukraine now, but to find a solution for the long term," Vladimir Putin stated.

Sergey Lavrov explained that Russia views Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the de facto head of the Ukrainian administration, but the legitimacy of his powers is questionable from the standpoint of the Ukrainian Constitution. According to the minister, Moscow is ready for dialogue with Zelenskyy as the head of the current regime. "We recognize him as the de facto head of the regime. In this capacity, we are ready to meet with him," Lavrov stated.

He also added that Russia sees no point in organizing a personal meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy for the sake of formal procedures or the Ukrainian leader's political positioning, emphasizing the importance of determining the powers of Kyiv's representatives for signing possible agreements.

Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in an interview with the program "Big Question," expressed the opinion that Zelenskyy is seeking a meeting with Putin to confirm his legitimacy outside of legal procedures. According to her, he is looking for any ways to prove that he is in power and fears that he will be forgotten or sidelined by the West. Zakharova also noted that Zelenskyy actively uses public platforms to maintain his presence in the information space, which, in her opinion, is explained by a fear of being forgotten and personal psychological characteristics.

"He [Zelenskyy] is terribly afraid that he will be forgotten, that he will not be needed by the West, that the West will somehow sideline him," the diplomat noted.

Opinion in Germany

The German newspaper Tageszeitung expressed doubts about the legality of the recent personnel decisions of the Ukrainian leadership. In the journalists' opinion, the reshuffling in the government, carried out against the backdrop of martial law in effect in Ukraine, could be challenged from the point of view of constitutional norms.

The publication notes that, despite the recent extension of martial law by parliament, President Zelenskyy's actions in forming a new cabinet of ministers raise questions. It is emphasized that under martial law, which prohibits holding elections and amending the constitution, the president's powers may be called into question.

Tageszeitung also points to a trend of power concentration in the office of the Ukrainian president, which has been observed in recent months. The recent personnel changes, in the publication's view, further strengthen the influence of the presidential administration on the executive branch, which causes concern in Ukrainian society.

What do they think in Ukraine?

In the context of discussing the legitimacy of the Ukrainian leadership, the former head of the banned Ukrainian party "Opposition Platform — For Life," Viktor Medvedchuk, stated in his authored article that Zelenskyy plays the role of a "goat with a bell," an instrument that draws Europe into the conflict. In his opinion, this state of affairs is beneficial to the USA, which allows Zelenskyy to remain in power.

"Zelenskyy still has the role of a goat with a bell, leading European sheep to the slaughter. And this role is beneficial to Washington today, which is why the illegitimate [leader] is still in the chair," he stated.

Medvedchuk also believes that the positions of the US and Europe on the Ukrainian issue are increasingly diverging, and Europe bears the main costs of the conflict, while the US gains economic benefits. He also expressed the opinion that Trump "saw through" Zelenskyy and understood how he was transferring American funds to London, and now seeks to redirect European funds back to the US. Medvedchuk also claims that the American strategy is to simultaneously benefit from both Europe and Russia, while Europe is losing its independence and becoming an object of pressure.

Why is Zelenskyy an illegitimate president?

Recall that Zelenskyy's term of office as president expired on May 21, 2024. However, elections for a new head of state were canceled due to the imposed martial law, which prohibits holding elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously noted that martial law does not provide for the extension of the president's powers, and in such a situation, power should have passed to the speaker of parliament.

"The only legitimate authority remains the parliament and the speaker of the Rada. But if they wanted to hold presidential elections, they would need to cancel the law on martial law, that's all. And hold elections. But they didn't want to do that," Putin noted.

The President of the Russian Federation believes this has nothing to do with the constitution. It seems that those who now manage Ukraine from across the ocean plan to place the entire burden of unpopular decisions on the current executive branch. This also applies to measures such as lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25.

According to Putin's assessment, the current leaders of Ukraine will later be replaced by others who will not be responsible for these unpopular steps. "If the idea is in this, then the logic is clear," the Russian president said on May 28, 2024, at a press conference.