Medvedev says Zelensky's mandate 'long expired,' depriving him of any immunities

The Russian Security Council's Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky no longer enjoyed immunity under international law because his presidential mandate had expired.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, Medvedev said the process of democratic succession in Ukraine has been disrupted, arguing his term in office had ended.

"The presidency has been usurped by a figure whose powers expired long ago, and in accordance with international law this deprives him of any immunities," he stressed.

Ukraine rejects Russia's claims regarding Zelensky's legitimacy, arguing elections cannot be held under martial law while the country is fighting a war.

Medvedev also said that dialogue with Ukraine was ineffective because of its dependence on foreign sponsors and suggested that negotiations should be conducted with those he said exercised real influence over such administrations.

He criticized efforts to establish international tribunals targeting Russia and warned that attempts to enforce decisions by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russian leaders could have serious consequences.

"In the worst-case scenario, the implementation of such decisions could lead to war, in the direct sense of the word," he said.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 over the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. Moscow rejects accusations as well as the court's jurisdiction and has dismissed the warrant as invalid.

Medvedev noted that Russia, as well as countries including the US and China, does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, arguing that attempts by the court to pursue cases against Russia were unlawful because Moscow is not a party to the Rome Statute.

Separately, Medvedev said Russia planned to use international legal mechanisms to challenge discrimination against Russian-speaking populations in several countries.

According to him, Moscow had completed a pre-trial stage of proceedings against Baltic states and intended to file complaints with the International Court of Justice in the near future.

The former leader also criticized the European Court of Human Rights, accusing it of applying double standards in cases involving Russia and Russian-speaking minorities.