DISINFO: Zelenskyy is not legitimate according to the Ukrainian constitution
SUMMARY
Zelenskyy is the de facto head of the Ukrainian regime, and in this capacity, Russia is ready to meet with him. But when the signing documents is needed, Russia will need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate. And according to the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is not, at the moment.
RESPONSE
The claim is demonstrably false, as Ukraine’s constitution is straightforward in this regard in its articles 83(4), 90(1) and 108(1): contrary to what this disinformation story claims, this document states that no elections can be held during wartime and the President of Ukraine exercises his powers until the assumption of office by the newly-elected President. Similarly, the authority of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) is automatically extended throughout the whole period of martial law or state of emergency, until new elections can take place and a fresh parliamentary assembly is elected. The continuity of government institutions is one of the key principles of the constitution.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a democratic leader who won the 2019 election by a landslide with over 73% of the vote. While this popularity has experienced ups and downs over the years, his approval rate remained very high at the time this disinformation story appeared. According to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on 06 August 2025, a majority of 58% Ukrainians still trust him. Therefore, Zelenskyy remains the legitimate president of Ukraine to all effects.
The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to undermine president Zelenskyy’s continuity in power, as Russia has always perceived him as an obstacle to its aggressive goals in Ukraine, even since before the invasion. To learn more about the pro-Kremlin smears targeting President Zelenskyy, please see our article Why is the Kremlin so hung up on smearing Zelenskyy?.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Zelenskyy is illegitimate and therefore Russia is directly fighting the West, that Ukraine’s fate is no longer in Zelenskyy's hands, that Moscow can’t trust any peace agreement as Zelenskyy’s regime is stable only when at war, or that Zelenskyy can’t sign a peace deal because he is not a legitimate president.