Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, stated that Ukraine might be put under a “temporary administration” as part of a peace process. This process might include assistance from North Korea and other Moscow allies, as per Russian state media.
During his speech to servicemen in Murmansk, a port in northern Russia, Putin outlined several provisions for a peace process to end the war that Moscow initiated in February 2022, as reported by Russia’s state news agency, TASS.
Among Putin’s suggestions was the proposal for new elections in Ukraine and the “signing of key accords” after the country comes under international administration, according to TASS.
“In principle, of course, a temporary administration could be introduced in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the United States, European countries, and our partners,” Putin was quoted as saying.
“This would be to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people, then to start talks with them about a peace treaty,” Putin said.
“We are for resolving all these issues by peaceful means,” he said. “Yet, with removing the original causes that triggered the current situation,” he added.
Putin also stated that other countries, including Moscow’s treaty ally Pyongyang, should be involved in the peace process beyond the US and Russia.
“This is not only the United States but also the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil, South Africa, all BRICS countries,” Putin said.
“And many others, for example, including the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” he said, using North Korea’s official name.

According to South Korea’s military, North Korea has deployed over 3,000 troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine, surpassing the 11,000 sent last year, with reports of severe casualties from clashes with Ukraine’s army.
Putin also said he was willing to collaborate with Europe, despite its “inconsistent” behavior and attempts to “deceive” them. However, he expressed hope that excessive trust in their supposed partners would not lead to mistakes.
The Russian leader praised US President Donald Trump, describing him as “sincerely wishing for the end of this conflict”.
Putin’s remarks follow recent negotiations held in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh between Russian, Ukrainian, and US officials aimed at achieving a temporary ceasefire.

According to the US, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to stop military strikes on vessels in the Black Sea, but since then, both sides have accused each other of not taking the peace talks seriously.
Following the agreement, Ukraine accused Russia of launching a nighttime drone attack on Mykolaiv, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a “clear signal” that Moscow is not interested in genuine peace.
Russia separately accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on a gas storage facility and a power installation in Russia-held territory, violating an agreement not to attack each other’s facilities.
Russian media reported that another round of talks is scheduled to resume in Riyadh in mid-April.