The Russian president has suggested that UN-backed external governance in Kiev could provide a legitimate foundation for peace negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to establish a temporary international administration in Ukraine under UN supervision is based on historical precedents, according to Kirill Logvinov, who heads the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Organizations. He told TASS on Sunday that the UN already has experience with this process.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that it is not possible to sign a peace agreement with Kiev because the current Ukrainian leadership lacks legitimacy. Vladimir Zelensky's presidential term expired in May 2024, though he has remained in office without holding elections, citing martial law.

Putin suggested earlier this week that creating "external management or temporary administration" under the UN could facilitate elections in Ukraine and provide a legitimate foundation for negotiations. A peace deal signed with a newly elected leader, he said, "would be recognized around the world" and could not be overturned later.

"There is no formal mechanism for creating such administrations in the UN," Logvinov acknowledged. However, he noted that the UN has established transitional authorities in several post-conflict areas, including Cambodia, East Timor, and Eastern Slavonia, setting a precedent for this type of arrangement.

"In all cases, the first step was reaching an agreement between the parties to the conflict - directly or through intermediaries - on the appropriate transfer of powers to the UN," he explained. Once an agreement is reached, the parties or their mediators would then submit a formal appeal to the UN. The Security Council would instruct the secretary-general to prepare a framework for the temporary administration, including a timeline and budget.

Logvinov stressed that the final decision rests with the UN Security Council following a report by the secretary-general outlining the form and functions of the proposed administration.

Officials in Kiev have rejected the idea. Andrey Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, claimed on Telegram that the plan is an attempt by Moscow to delay peace talks.

Washington has not formally commented on the proposal. However, Reuters quoted an unnamed White House national security spokesperson who said Ukraine's governance should be determined by its constitution and people.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres dismissed the proposal on Friday, insisting that "Ukraine has a legitimate government, and so obviously that must be respected."

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, currently the deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, criticized Guterres' remarks, calling them a "double lie." Referring to Zelensky in a post on X, he said: "The nit is illegitimate. There's nothing to respect him for. He failed, his people are dying, and his country is disappearing."