Ukraine decides on its own governance after Putin recommends temporary administration

Russian news agency reported on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested putting Ukraine in the form of a provisional government to allow new elections and the signing of key agreements to reach a settlement of the war.

Putin’s comments on visiting the northern port of Murmansk are as we try to resolve the conflict by reconnecting with Russia and interacting with Moscow and Kiev, and in separate speeches.

Kremlin leaders say he believes U.S. President Donald Trump does want peace.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions, reduced towns and triggered the most intense confrontation between Moscow and the West in decades.

Putin’s advice to the Provisional Government seems to be related to his long-standing complaints, who believe that Ukrainian authorities are not legitimate negotiating partners as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been paying for the May 2024 mandate.

“Of course, of course, temporary administration can be introduced in Ukraine,” Putin said in a meeting with seafarers at the port.

“It will be to hold democratic elections and empower a competent government to enjoy the trust of the people and then start talking to them about peace treaties.”

Putin compares Trump with Biden

He said Trump’s efforts to negotiate directly with Russia were contrary to former U.S. President Joe Biden, who evaded contacts, who showed that the new president wanted peace.

“I think the newly elected U.S. president is sincerely hoping to end the conflict for a number of reasons,” the agency quoted Putin as saying.

A spokesman for the White House National Security Council asked Putin about the interim administration, saying that Ukraine’s governance was decided by its constitution and the people of the country.

Ukraine did not comment immediately.

European leaders have been working hard to strengthen Kiev’s military at a meeting in Paris on Thursday to ensure it is the cornerstone of Ukraine’s future security.

France and Britain tried to expand support for foreign “reliance forces” amid a truce with Russia, although Moscow rejected any foreign forces from Ukraine.

Ukraine bans elections during martial law period

Zelenskyy rejected any notion of questioning his legitimacy, saying Ukraine is prohibited by law-mandated elections and that polls would be impossible in wartime conditions anyway.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly accused Putin of continuing the conflict in recent days.

Putin said in his comments that Russia is moving steadily to achieve its goals in its Ukrainian operations.

Putin said Russia favors “the peaceful solution to such conflict, including peaceful means, but without paying the price”.

“Our forces hold strategic initiatives throughout the military contact line,” he said.

The agency quoted him as saying: “We gradually – maybe not as fast as some people like, but still persevere and have the confidence to achieve the goal that started this action.”

Russian troops now occupy about 20% of the country in three years since the full invasion of Ukraine, and Moscow declared four regions annexed. Its troops also restored much of the territory that was initially lost during the Ukrainian invasion last August.

Putin praised efforts to seek solutions from the FIFA grouping to replace the traditional alliance – picking China and India in search of praise.

He said Russia is ready to work with many countries, including North Korea, to help end the war.

Western and Ukrainian sources said that while Moscow has not confirmed this, more than 11,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russian troops in the Kursk region.

Putin said Russia is also ready to cooperate with Europe, but added that Europe “behaves in an inconsistent manner.”

He said European countries are working to “lead us to the nose, but that’s OK, we’re used to it. I hope we don’t make any mistakes because of excessive trust in our so-called partners.”