Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Sunday said that while Russia is prepared to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to further progress peace talks, it questions his legitimacy.

When asked by NBC News host Kristen Welker whether Russia views Zelensky as the "legitimate leader" of Ukraine , Lavrov called Russian President Vladimir Putin 's Ukrainian counterpart a "de facto head of the regime."

"We recognize him as de facto head of the regime. And in this capacity, we are ready to meet with him," Lavrov said on Meet the Press in a recorded interview that aired Sunday morning.

"When you come to a stage, when you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate," he added. "And according to

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