--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do believe the current Ukrainian…" description: "\"We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. They cannot be legitimate as they do not have a national mandate for running the coun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg" --- # We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are… ![“We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. They cannot be legitimate as they do not have a national mandate for running the country, which speaks for itself. At the same time, we do not refuse to deal with them. We stay in touch at the ministerial level.” quote by Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg) > “We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. They cannot be legitimate as they do not have a national mandate for running the country, which speaks for itself. At the same time, we do not refuse to deal with them. We stay in touch at the ministerial level.” [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims Ukraine's government lacks democratic legitimacy but maintains pragmatic diplomatic contact for practical reasons. **In simple terms:** Ukraine's leaders are seen as illegitimate yet still engaged with. Key Takeaway Engage pragmatically despite doubts. Themes politics legitimacy diplomacy pragmatism Mood cautious strategic Type political analytical When to use this quote - International negotiations - conflict resolution - aid distribution - trade talks Key Concepts sovereignty recognition realpolitik Questions to Reflect On - How does practical engagement affect political legitimacy? - What are the risks of ignoring legitimacy concerns? A Different Perspective Legitimacy claims may be contested and affect long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Ukrainian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ukrainian/) ## Related quotes > [I condemn the entry of a Russian so-called humanitarian convoy into Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian authorities and without any involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-condemn-the-entry-of-a-russian-so-called-humanitarian-convoy-into/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [But if writing about people who are not yourself is illegitimate, then the only legitimate work is autobiography; and as a reader and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/but-if-writing-about-people-who-are-not-yourself-is-illegitimate-then/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“The Ukrainian authorities said Thursday that former President Viktor F. Yanukovych and Russian security agents were involved in plans for elite police units”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-ukrainian-authorities-said-thursday-that-former-president-viktor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ukraine is going through a difficult time. There is nothing extraordinary of the resignation of the Ukrainian government ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/ukraine-is-going-through-a-difficult-time-there-is-nothing/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [At least Germany and France have recently criticized that the Ukrainian central government has limited certain parts of the autonomy regulations to three years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/at-least-germany-and-france-have-recently-criticized-that-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I hope that the responsible figures in the Ukrainian leadership will not hinder soldiers in the Ukrainian army from putting down their weapons, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-hope-that-the-responsible-figures-in-the-ukrainian-leadership-will-2/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The nationalists' coup in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev in February 2014 has hugely scared 2.5 million Russian people living on Crimea. So what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-nationalists-coup-in-the-ukrainian-capital-of-kiev-in-february/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I hope that the responsible figures in the Ukrainian leadership will not hinder soldiers in the Ukrainian army from putting down their weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-hope-that-the-responsible-figures-in-the-ukrainian-leadership-will/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Crimea has always been and remains Russian, as well as Ukrainian, Crimean-Tatar, Greek (after all, there are Greeks living there) and German - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/crimea-has-always-been-and-remains-russian-as-well-as-ukrainian/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [There are complicated processes going on in society in the Crimea. There are problems of the Crimean Tatars, the Ukrainian population, the Russian population,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/there-are-complicated-processes-going-on-in-society-in-the-crimea/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think that both Russia and other international actors, including those who are more actively engaged in the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis (that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-think-that-both-russia-and-other-international-actors-including/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I mean, I'm a Ukrainian immigrant from Brooklyn who grew up dancing and playing the violin!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentin-chmerkovskiy/i-mean-i-m-a-ukrainian-immigrant-from-brooklyn-who-grew-up-dancing/) [Valentin Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentin-chmerkovskiy/) > [Serie A is very different from the Bundesliga or the Ukrainian league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-costa/serie-a-is-very-different-from-the-bundesliga-or-the-ukrainian-league/) [Douglas Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-costa/) > [The conviction of our Ukrainian nation is embedded in the pages of its history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-yushchenko/the-conviction-of-our-ukrainian-nation-is-embedded-in-the-pages-of/) [Viktor Yushchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-yushchenko/) > [I wholeheartedly support the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for a democratic, free and just society where the rule of law prevails without corruption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/i-wholeheartedly-support-the-aspirations-of-the-ukrainian-people-for/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) ## More by Vladimir Putin > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Personally, I think that children should be left alone, they should be given an opportunity to grow up, to become aware of themselves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/personally-i-think-that-children-should-be-left-alone-they-should-be/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Yes, life in Chechnya so far looks more like a life after a natural disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/yes-life-in-chechnya-so-far-looks-more-like-a-life-after-a-natural/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I'd rather not deal with such questions, because anyway it's like shearing a pig - lots of screams but little wool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-d-rather-not-deal-with-such-questions-because-anyway-it-s-like/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Europeans are really dying out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/europeans-are-really-dying-out/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We see Serbs as our spiritual brothers. And that is what is at the base of our relations today and in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-see-serbs-as-our-spiritual-brothers-and-that-is-what-is-at-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ They \[leaders in Western Europe\] do not misuse financial instruments, financial injections, but, first of all, seek structural change. This is urgent for our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/they-leaders-in-western-europe-do-not-misuse-financial-instruments/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Terrorism has once again shown it is prepared deliberately to stop at nothing in creating human victims. An end must be put to this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/terrorism-has-once-again-shown-it-is-prepared-deliberately-to-stop-at/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Contractors always pursue large profit, the customer - a high-quality end product in due time and at a lower cost. This struggle never ends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/contractors-always-pursue-large-profit-the-customer-a-high-quality/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Russia, unlike in one third of the world's countries, being gay is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-would-like-to-draw-your-attention-to-the-fact-that-in-russia-unlike/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The sanctions may be imposed only by the decision of the UN Security Council. A unilateral imposition of sanctions is a violation of international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-sanctions-may-be-imposed-only-by-the-decision-of-the-un-security/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart. Whoever wants it back has no brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/whoever-does-not-miss-the-soviet-union-has-no-heart-whoever-wants-it/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Anyhow, we obviously understand that, being a United States' ally and having a special relationship with it, the UK in its relations with Russian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/anyhow-we-obviously-understand-that-being-a-united-states-ally-and/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) [Explore all 793 Vladimir Putin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. They cannot be legitimate as they do not have a national mandate for running the country, which speaks for itself. At the same time, we do not refuse to deal with them. We stay in touch at the ministerial level.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vladimir Putin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-authorities-are-illegitimate-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-authorities-are-illegitimate-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/vladimir-putin-261_authority_we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-auth_708186.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We do believe the current Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. They cannot be legitimate as they do not…” — Vladimir Putin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vladimir Putin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We do believe the current Ukrainian...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-authorities-are-illegitimate-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-do-believe-the-current-ukrainian-authorities-are-illegitimate-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```