Putin Proposes UN-Sponsored External Governance for Ukraine as Russia Claims Battlefield Gains

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed placing Ukraine under temporary external governance under the United Nations’ oversight as part of a potential peace settlement, the Associated Press reported on Friday.

Speaking in televised remarks on Friday, Putin reiterated his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lacks legitimacy since his term expired last year. He suggested that a UN-backed transitional authority, possibly involving the US and European nations, could oversee elections to establish what he described as a “viable government” before engaging in peace negotiations.

However, Ukraine swiftly dismissed Putin’s proposal, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi suggesting a “counter-offer” of placing Russia under UN governance, arguing that Russian citizens would benefit from leadership other than Putin.

Putin’s comments came just a day after French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a Paris summit exploring the possibility of deploying international troops to Ukraine to solidify a future peace agreement. Macron had stressed that France and Britain, along with other nations, were willing to contribute to such a force.

Western leaders accused Russia of insincerity in its approach to peace, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning, “They are playing games and they’re playing for time,” as he insisted that Ukraine and its allies must not allow the Kremlin to prolong the conflict indefinitely.

Zelenskyy welcomed the summit’s outcome, saying, “Europe knows how to defend itself” and remains committed to Ukraine’s security.

Escalating Drone Attacks

Meanwhile, a US-brokered pause on strikes against energy infrastructure has already faced challenges. While both sides initially agreed to halt attacks on critical energy facilities, accusations of violations quickly emerged.

Late Thursday, Russia launched 163 strikes and decoy drones at Ukraine, with Ukrainian forces claiming to have shot down 89 and jammed 51 more, the report said, adding that the attacks caused damage in Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, and Poltava.

Ukraine’s Naftogaz, the state-owned energy company, reported Russian strikes on its facilities, though it did not specify locations, according to AP.

Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of launching US-supplied HIMARS rockets at a gas metering station in Sudzha, Kursk region, destroying the facility. Additionally, a strike on an energy site in Bryansk caused a power outage, while Russian air defenses reportedly downed 19 Ukrainian drones targeting an oil refinery in Saratov.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine’s alleged strikes demonstrated that Kyiv was violating the ceasefire in an effort to regroup militarily with Western aid. However, Ukraine’s military command rejected the accusations, insisting that it only targets military infrastructure and remains committed to diplomatic agreements.

Putin Claims Russian Troops Have ‘Gained Steam’

With Zelenskyy warning that Moscow is seeking to drag out negotiations while preparing for larger offensives, Putin claimed Russia has the “strategic initiative” along the entire 1,000-kilometer frontline, boasting that its troops have “gained steam” in key sectors.

The Kremlin has made several demands for a ceasefire, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from four occupied regions, a commitment to remain outside NATO, reductions in its military, and legal protections for the Russian language. Additionally, Moscow wants Western sanctions lifted and frozen Russian assets unblocked as part of any settlement.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War of Ukraine announced the repatriation of 909 fallen soldiers, the largest such exchange since the war began, according to AP. Ukraine returned 43 Russian soldiers’ remains in a separate exchange, AP reported, quoting Russian war bloggers.

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