State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Vladimir Putin’s proposal was „not appreciated.“
The U.S. has criticized a Russian proposal for an interim administration in Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky, dealing a blow to Vladimir Putin’s quest to dictate his terms in any ceasefire deal.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters Monday that President Donald Trump did not appreciate a push by Moscow for it to do business with a temporary government in Kyiv because it does not recognize Zelensky’s legitimacy. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment by email.Why it matters
The Kremlin has repeatedly said that Zelensky is no longer the legitimate leader of Ukraine because his presidential term expired in May 2024. Under the Ukrainian constitution, martial law imposed because of Putin’s invasion means there is no obligation to hold another ballot.
There is also little appetite among Ukrainians for a wartime election which would face huge logistic issues given that one fifth of the country is under Russian occupation, millions have left and hundreds of thousands are fighting on the front line.
Putin might be banking on the possibility of amplifying calls from some U.S. Republicans for an election as being necessary to show it is a democracy worthy of American military support.
