Saturday, March 29, 2025 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for Ukrainian generals to topple President Volodimir Zelenskyy so a “transitional administration” to be put in place in Ukraine vowing his army would “finish off” Ukrainian troops.
The hardline remarks come as US President Donald Trump pushes for a
ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
A rapprochement between Washington and Moscow since Trump’s return to
office and the US leader’s threats to stop supporting Kyiv have bolstered
Putin’s confidence more than three years into an offensive that has killed tens
of thousands on both sides.
The renewed call to topple Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the
latest demonstration of the Kremlin leader’s long-standing desire to install a
more Moscow-friendly regime in Kyiv.
Speaking on the sidelines of an Arctic forum in the early hours on
Friday, March 28, Putin said Russia could discuss with the United States,
Europe and Moscow’s allies, “under the auspices of the UN, the possibility of
establishing a transitional administration in Ukraine.”
“What for? To organise a democratic presidential election that would
result in the coming to power of a competent government that would have the
confidence of the people, and then begin negotiations with these authorities on
a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents,” Putin added.
When launching its offensive in 2022, Moscow aimed to take over the Kyiv
government in a matter of days but was repelled by Ukraine’s smaller army.
Putin also issued a public call for Ukraine’s generals to topple
Zelenskyy, whom Putin has repeatedly denigrated, without providing any
evidence, as a neo-Nazi and drug addict.
Moscow has also questioned Zelenskyy’s “legitimacy” as Ukrainian
president, after his initial five-year tenure ended in May 2024.
Under Ukrainian law, elections are suspended during times of major
military conflict, and Zelenskyy’s domestic opponents have all said no ballots
should be held until after the conflict.
Putin, in power for 25 years and repeatedly elected in votes with no
competition, has throughout the conflict accused Ukraine of not being a
democracy.
Asked about Putin’s remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was
motivated by what Moscow sees as the Ukrainian leadership’s “total lack of
control” over the army, which he accused of trying to attack Russian energy
sites “on a daily basis”.
He said that “at the moment” Russia was sticking to a commitment not to
target Ukrainian energy facilities – despite multiple claims by Kyiv, including
today, that Russia has attacked them.
“The Russian side reserves the right if the Kyiv regime does not observe
the moratorium, also not to follow it,” Peskov said.
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