Vladimir Putin has suggested that Ukraine should temporarily be placed under UN control to elect what he called a more "competent" government. It is the latest attempt by the Russian president to challenge the legitimacy of the Kyiv government.
Speaking to the crew of a nuclear-powered submarine in the far north Russian city of Murmansk, Putin said a temporary administration under the auspices of the UN could be discussed "with the United States, with European countries, and of course with our partners and friends".
"This would be in order to hold democratic elections, to bring to power a capable government trusted by the people and then to begin with it talks on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents," he added to the crew.
Ukraine accused Putin of suggesting "crazy" ideas to delay progress toward a peace deal, which is being advocated by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House reaffirmed that Ukraine's governance would be determined by its constitution and its people.
Putin's comments come as the U.S. attempts to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
On Tuesday, the White House announced that both sides had agreed to a limited truce in the Black Sea. However, Russia then presented a list of conditions, including the lifting of some Western sanctions, raising concerns that Moscow was attempting to hinder any progress toward a ceasefire.
Moscow claims that the current Ukrainian government is illegitimate, arguing that President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained in power beyond his term and is therefore not a valid negotiating partner.
But Zelensky has stayed because elections have been put on hold, legally by martial law and practically by the chaos of war. It would be almost impossible to hold a valid election with more than five million Ukrainian citizens displaced overseas and many hundreds of thousands away from home fighting on the frontline.
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov later attempted to clarify the remarks, saying they were in response to indications of a "loss of control" by Kyiv. He also said that Ukraine's armed forces were not obeying the leadership's orders and were continuing to strike Russian energy installations, despite a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure agreed in talks with the US.
Ukraine has described Russian reports of such attacks as lies, while in its turn accusing Moscow of continuing to attack its own infrastructure.
Putin said that his proposal for a transitional government was only one of many options, but pointed out that there were international precedents for UN control such as East Timor and parts of the former Yugoslavia.
Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak responded to Putin's remarks, saying Russia was trying to stall movements towards peace and had chosen to continue the war.
Meanwhile a US national security spokesperson told Reuters news agency that governance in Ukraine was determined by the constitution and the people.
At the same meeting, the Russian leader said that Moscow had the "strategic initiative" all along the front line in the war and "there are reasons to believe that we can finish off" Ukrainian forces.
But despite frequent proclamations of progress in the fighting, Russia has made only very slow and limited progress in gaining territory in eastern Ukraine.
Putin's comments come after a meeting on Thursday between Zelensky and European allies in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France and the UK were putting forward plans for a reassurance force" in Ukraine.
