On the eve of talks in Geneva, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it was ready to discuss the introduction of temporary external administration in Ukraine.
Moscow, which has failed to meet its objectives on the battlefield, is seeking to strip Ukraine of agency at the negotiating table. The aggressor proposed installing external governance on Ukrainian territory.
The idea was floated by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in an interview with a Russian state agency.
Galuzin said the Russian side is “ready to discuss” with the United States, European nations and others the possibility of introducing temporary international administration in the Ukrainian capital.
The representative of the aggressor country noted that the idea of “external governance of Ukraine under UN auspices” had previously been proposed directly by the dictator Vladimir Putin.
“Such a step would make it possible to hold democratic elections in Ukraine, bring to power a capable government with which a full-fledged peace treaty and legitimate documents on the future cooperation of our two countries could be signed,” Galuzin said.
He added that Moscow is “ready to consider” halting strikes on Ukraine’s rear areas on election day.
The statement comes as preparations are underway for the third round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States, set for February 17–18 in Geneva. Moscow has sharply downgraded the status of its delegation in this format, putting pseudo-historian Vladimir Medinsky at its head. He is known for boasting that Russians have an extra chromosome, calling it an advantage.
Ahead of the Geneva talks, Moscow is signaling its reluctance to negotiate peace. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in particular, demanded the seizure of new Ukrainian territories and the dismantling of legitimate authorities. The aggressor is also demanding security guarantees for itself.
Previously, Russian authorities actively pushed the claim that Ukraine’s leadership was illegitimate because elections were postponed. Elections in Ukraine have been deferred in full compliance with the Constitution and current law, since under martial law and amid daily strikes on civilian infrastructure, holding a vote is physically impossible. A significant share of citizens is at the front, millions have been forced from their homes, and the security of polling stations in and beyond the combat zone cannot be guaranteed.
Moscow’s offer to pause strikes for just one day to hold elections appears declarative and does not address the fundamental security problem. In effect, it is an attempt to cast doubt on Ukrainian sovereignty and impose external administration on a state defending its territory from armed aggression.
Thus, days before the Geneva talks, the Russian side is again putting forward conditions that imply interference in Ukraine’s internal order. This underscores Moscow’s continued maximalist demands and unwillingness to ease pressure on Kyiv by diplomatic and informational means.
