Is Putin's proposal just another attempt to get Zelenskyy out of power? | DW News

Russian President Vladimir Putin is floating the idea of putting Ukraine under the temporary control of the United Nations.

Speaking during a trip to the northwestern city of Murmansk on Friday, Putin was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that such an administration would be discussed with "the United States, even with European countries, and, of course, with our partners and friends."

"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," the Russian leader said.

DW Riga Bureau Chief Juri Rescheto told us that Putin's proposal was just yet another effort by Putin to get Zelenskyy out of office.

Alexey Yusupov, the head of the Russia Programme at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, told DW that it was also an attempt by Putin to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty by other means.

Russia has repeatedly moved to discredit the legitimacy of Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelenskyy. Putin said he should be replaced with new leadership before direct peace negotiations could take place.

In response to Putin's suggestion, the White House said it was up to Ukrainians and their constitution to determine the country's governance. The Ukrainian constitution prohibits elections during wartime.

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