Putin’s Proposal For UN-Led Interim Government In Ukraine Is A 'Delay Tactic', Claims Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Russia’s Vladimir Putin's proposal for a UN-overseen interim government in Ukraine, calling it a tactic to prolong the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected on Friday Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s proposal for Ukraine to have an interim government overlooked by the United Nations. Zelenskyy said that this was Putin’s way of delaying peace.
"Everything (Putin) does delays any possibility, any process, any negotiations, and delays any possibility, any steps towards ending the war," Zelensky was quoted by AFP.
This comes after Putin floated the idea to temporarily put Ukraine under external governance as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. To reaffirm his claim, he said that Zelenskyy's term expired last year and lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal.
His remarks come as US President Donald Trump pushes for a ceasefire amid signs of rapprochement between Washington and Moscow.
According to an Associated Press report, Putin claimed that any agreement that is signed by the current Ukrainian government could be challenged by Zelenskyy’s successor. Putin suggested that discussions on the administration could be held “under the auspices of the UN” with the involvement of the United States, Europe, and Russia’s allies.
He added that it would allow the country to “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.” The Russian President also reiterated his call for Ukraine’s military leaders to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he has frequently accused—without evidence—of being a “neo-Nazi and drug addict.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and other participants of the Paris summit on Thursday accused Russia of only pretending to want a negotiated settlement. “They are playing games and they’re playing for time,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as per AP.
On Tuesday, the US announced separate agreements with Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday, aimed at temporarily halting their attacks in the Black Sea and on each other’s energy infrastructure. However, statements from Moscow and Kyiv indicated that significant differences persisted between the two sides.
Black Sea Agreement
Zelenskyy stated that the US informed Kyiv that the agreements were effective immediately upon their announcement. However, the Kremlin maintained that the Black Sea deal would only come into effect once a sanctioned Russian state bank was reconnected to the international payment system. Europe has countered this, asserting that such a measure would only be considered after a complete Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.
The Kremlin claimed it has adhered to a self-imposed pause on energy infrastructure attacks since March 18. However, a senior Ukrainian presidential official disputed this, reporting that Russia had targeted eight Ukrainian energy facilities since that date.
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