Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine could be placed under a “temporary administration” as part of a peace process that could include help from North Korea and other Moscow allies, according to Russian state media.
Speaking to a group of servicemen in Russia’s northern port of Murmansk, Putin laid out several provisions for a peace process to end the three-year war launched by Moscow in February 2022, according to Russia’s state news agency, TASS.
Among Putin’s many suggestions was a call for new elections in Ukraine and the “signing of key accords” once the country is under international administration, TASS said.
“In principle, of course, a temporary administration could be introduced in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the United States, European countries and our partners,” Putin was quoted as saying.
“This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty,” Putin said.
“We are for resolving all these issues by peaceful means,” he said. “Yet, with removing the original causes that triggered the current situation,” he added.
Putin also said other countries should be involved in the peace process beyond the US and Russia, including Moscow’s treaty ally Pyongyang.
“This is not only the United States but also the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil, South Africa, all BRICS countries,” Putin said.
“And many others, for example, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” he said, using North Korea’s official name.
Pyongyang has sent more than 3,000 new troops to join Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, according to South Korea’s military, topping the 11,000 sent last year, among which casualties are reported to have been catastrophic from the fighting with Ukraine’s army.
Putin also said he was ready to work with Europe, as well, although it was “acting inconsistently, constantly trying to fool us”.
“But it’s OK, we have gotten used to it already. I hope we will make no mistakes based on excessive trust to our so-called partners,” he said, according to TASS.
Praise was reserved for US President Donald Trump, who the Russian leader described as “sincerely wishing for the end of this conflict”.
Putin’s comments follow separate negotiations in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh this week between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials aimed at securing a temporary ceasefire.
According to the US, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to halt military strikes on vessels in the Black Sea, but in the days since, they have both accused each other of not taking the peace talks seriously.
Following the deal, Ukraine accused Russia of launching an overnight drone attack on the city of Mykolaiv, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a “clear signal to the whole world that Moscow is not going to pursue real peace”.
Russia separately accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack on a gas storage facility and a power installation in Russian-held territory, in contravention of an agreement to not attack each other’s power facilities.
Russian media said a second round of talks is due to resume in Riyadh in mid-April.
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