MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - Vladimir Zelensky's term as president of Ukraine has expired, and his legitimacy cannot be reinstated in any way, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"The presidential term of the previously elected head of Ukraine has expired along with his legitimacy, which cannot be reinstated through any tricks," Putin said at a meeting with the Russian Foreign Ministry's leadership on Friday.
"The Ukrainian Constitutional Court ruled back in May 2014 that a president is elected for five years regardless of whether they are elected in an extraordinary or regular election," Putin said.
"Apart from this, the Ukrainian Constitutional Court pointed out that the president's constitutional status does not contain norms that would set another term apart from a five-year one," Putin said.
The court's judgment was final and could not be appealed, he said.
Putin drew a parallel between the current situation surrounding the supreme government bodies in Ukraine and the 2014 situation. "Just like in 2014, the executive branch in Ukraine has again usurped power, is holding it illegally, and is in fact illegitimate," he said.
"The situation surrounding the cancellation of elections reflects the very nature of the real substance of the current Kiev regime, which has grown from the armed coup of 2014, is tied to it, and its roots are there," he said.