The Russian president proposes forming an interim administration for Ukraine under the auspices of the United Nations

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed placing Ukraine under an interim administration to hold new elections and sign key agreements to reach a settlement in the ongoing war.

The statement came during a visit to the northern Russian port of Murmansk, as the United States continues its efforts to rebuild relations with Russia, in addition to launching separate talks with Moscow and Kyiv.

This proposal elicited mixed reactions. Ukraine and European leaders accused the Russian president of trying to prolong the ceasefire talks without a genuine intention to stop the fighting.

Putin explained that his proposal came in response to what he described as the illegitimacy of the Kyiv authorities, represented by President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose term is set to end in May 2024.

He added, “In principle, it’s possible, of course, to establish an interim administration in Ukraine under the auspices of the United Nations, the United States, and European countries, with the aim of holding democratic elections, forming a government that enjoys the confidence of the people, and then starting talks on a peace treaty”.

For his part, Zelensky rejected this proposal, asserting that Ukraine cannot hold elections under martial law, and that holding elections during wartime would be impossible.

He also accused Putin of trying to prolong the conflict and continue the fighting.

For his part, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stated that the Ukrainian government is the body authorized to determine the country’s form of government in accordance with its constitution.

On the international level, Putin welcomed US President Donald Trump’s attempts to resume direct talks with Russia, stressing that Trump genuinely desires to end the conflict.

Trump had indicated his intention to mediate a swift end to the war, although the talks haven’t yielded tangible results so far.

The United States had previously concluded separate agreements with Moscow and Kyiv for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, but Russia later clarified that the agreement wouldn’t take effect unless additional conditions were met, including the lifting of sanctions on some Russian institutions.

Meanwhile, European leaders continue to strengthen their support for Ukraine, pledging at their latest meeting in Paris on Thursday to strengthen the Ukrainian army to ensure the country’s future security.

At the same time, France and Britain are seeking to expand support by deploying European armed forces in the event of a truce with Russia, even though Moscow rejects any troops on Ukrainian soil.

On the other hand, Putin expressed his support for the BRICS group, which he promotes as an alternative to Western alliances, particularly praising China and India.

Putin declared Russia’s willingness to cooperate with several countries, including North Korea, to end the war, although Moscow hasn’t confirmed the deployment of North Korean soldiers to the Kursk region, as some Western sources have suggested.

Putin also criticized the actions of some European countries, noting, “Europe is trying to lead us by the nose, but we’re used to it… We hope we won’t make mistakes as a result of overconfidence in our partners”.

On the military front, Putin affirmed that Russia is proceeding to achieve its objectives in its military operation in Ukraine, noting that he always seeks peaceful solutions, but not at the expense of his country’s interests.

In a development on the ground, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Ukraine’s pledge to halt attacks on energy facilities was merely a trick by the Ukrainian president, aimed at preventing his forces from collapsing under increasing military pressure.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the power outage occurred in Russia’s Belgorod region after Ukraine targeted a facility belonging to the Rostec state-owned enterprise Rostec.

In response, the Ukrainian General Staff responded to Moscow’s statements, accusing Russia of lying about its desire for peace.

The General Staff noted that it continues to attack civilian targets, endangering the lives of Ukrainian civilians.

It also confirmed that the attacks targeted civilian infrastructure, including residential and administrative buildings belonging to oil and gas companies.

The General Staff indicated that the Russian army launched a large-scale attack on the city of Poltava using drones, further complicating the security situation in the region.