Vladimir Putin Suggests UN-Led Government for Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine could be placed under a temporary United Nations-led administration to organize fresh elections. However, his remarks were quickly rejected by a U.S. spokesperson, who emphasized that Ukraine's governance is determined by its constitution.

Putin made the statement on Friday in a televised speech, proposing that an interim government could help Ukraine “hold democratic elections, to bring to power a viable government that enjoys the trust of the people, and then begin negotiations with them on a peace treaty.” He later clarified that this was just “one of the options” for resolving the conflict.

Kremlin Walks Back Proposal?

Despite Putin's comments, the Kremlin later stated that he had not discussed this idea in recent conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump. This raised questions about how seriously the suggestion should be taken.

“Under the auspices of the United Nations, with the United States, even with European countries, and, of course, with our partners and friends, we could discuss the possibility of introduction of temporary governance in Ukraine,” Putin added.

Ukraine and Western Allies Reject Proposal

The suggestion comes as Russia continues to set conditions for peace talks, even as Ukraine has said it would agree to a 30-day ceasefire if Moscow was willing to do the same.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson dismissed Putin’s remarks, reaffirming that Ukraine’s leadership is determined by its own legal framework. Meanwhile, European leaders gathered in Paris on Thursday, where they reiterated their support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government.

With no immediate breakthrough in sight, Putin’s proposal appears to be another sign that a negotiated end to the war remains distant.