Trump Dismisses Russia’s Questioning of Zelenskyy’s Legitimacy as ‘Posturing’

Russian leaders have repeatedly challenged Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, as Ukraine’s wartime laws prevent regular elections.

President Donald Trump participates in a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Aug. 26, 2025. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

“Everybody is posturing,” President Donald Trump said on Aug. 26, when asked about recent comments by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that appeared to question Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy to enact a peace deal on behalf of Ukraine.

Following Trump’s successive meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 and with Zelenskyy on Aug. 18, it remains unclear if or when the Russian and Ukrainian leaders will meet together to hammer out a deal to end the conflict between their countries.

In an interview with NBC News on Aug. 24, Lavrov discussed Putin’s willingness to finalize a peace deal, and how the peace process can play out. The interview eventually turned to Russian views of Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, in light of the wartime postponement of Ukrainian elections.

Lavrov said Russia recognizes Zelenskyy as “de facto head of the regime” in Kyiv, but said it’s not clear whether Zelenskyy has the authority to commit his country to a peace process.

“When we come to a stage where you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate,” Lavrov said. “And according to the Ukrainian constitution, Mr. Zelenskyy is not, at the moment.”

Asked about Lavrov’s comments during an Aug. 26 Cabinet meeting, Trump said such comments do not matter.

“Doesn’t matter what they say. Everybody’s posturing,” Trump said. 

Zelenskyy was elected in 2019, and his five-year presidential term was due to end in May 2024.

Under its existing constitution, Ukraine will not hold elections while under martial law, as the country has been since Russian forces crossed its borders in February 2022. Nevertheless, Russian leaders have repeatedly questioned Zelenskyy’s authority to continue representing Ukraine after May 2024.

Trump has frequently expressed his desire to bring the bloody conflict to an end. Although he said on the campaign trail that he could get to a peace deal within 24 hours of taking office, such an outcome remains elusive after months of extensive peacemaking efforts by his administration.

As he discussed his peace efforts during his Tuesday Cabinet meeting, the U.S. president remarked that he has struggled to get Putin and Zelenskyy interested in peace at the same time.

“I think that in many ways ... sometimes [Putin will] be there and Zelenskyy won’t be there. You know, it’s like, ‘Who do we have today?’ I’ve got to get them both at the same time,” Trump said.

Trump has previously threatened to impose severe new economic punishments on Russia and its various trade partners if Putin did not commit to a peace process with Ukraine. During his Cabinet meeting, Trump said his sanction plans fall short of military conflict, but that they are severe, and he’s still hoping he won’t have to follow through with the threat.

“It will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war, and an economic war is going to be bad, and it’s going to be bad for Russia, and I don’t want that now,” Trump said.