Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, November 27, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS

BISHKEK (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called the Ukrainian leadership illegitimate and said it was senseless to sign any documents with them.

He said the Kyiv leadership lost legitimacy after refusing to hold elections when President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's elected term expired. Kyiv says it cannot hold elections while under martial law and defending its territory against Russia.

(Reporting by Reuters)