Moscow has escalated its stance in Ukraine peace negotiations by demanding that President Volodymyr Zelensky be stripped of power pending elections, with a United Nations-led government taking temporary control of the country. The provocative proposal, voiced by Vladimir Putin's hardline deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin, aims to preempt upcoming talks in Geneva this week and has been interpreted by critics as a bid to derail the process.
Galuzin announced that Russia is adopting a “tougher position” in the negotiations, attributing the shift to an alleged Ukrainian attempt to attack Putin’s Valdai palace in December. Western intelligence agencies and Ukrainian officials have vehemently denied any such operation took place, dismissing the claim as a fabricated pretext by the Putin regime to obstruct peace efforts.
In a statement preempting the Geneva discussions, Galuzin called for “external governance in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN.” He specified that Russia “is ready to discuss with the United States, European and other countries the possibility of introducing temporary external governance in Kyiv,” arguing that the measure is essential to prevent “election manipulations” by Zelensky.
Further detailing Moscow's conditions, Galuzin indicated that Putin is prepared to implement a one-day ceasefire to facilitate polling in Ukraine. This limited truce stands in stark contrast to Zelensky's own position, where he has stated that elections would only be feasible under a two-month ceasefire, highlighting a significant gulf in the parties' willingness to pause hostilities.
The demand for UN oversight and Zelensky's ouster represents a dramatic hardening of Russia's negotiating posture, coming amid ongoing military exchanges and previous reports of strikes on Ukrainian power plants. As mediators prepare for Geneva, the proposal has drawn sharp rebukes, with Ukraine and its allies viewing it as an unacceptable interference in sovereign affairs.
Galuzin's remarks underscore Moscow's insistence on structural changes to Ukraine's leadership framework as a prerequisite for progress, potentially complicating international efforts to broker a resolution to the protracted conflict.
