Russia’s bid to derail Ukraine peace talks after making shock demand | World | News
Russia today made a shocking new attempt to derail war-related peace talks with Ukraine by demanding that Volodymyr Zelensky be removed from power ahead of elections. Ukraine should instead be governed by a UN-led government, according to Mikhail Galuzin, Vladimir Putin’s hard-line deputy foreign minister.
The minister acknowledged that Russia was now taking a “tougher position” in the negotiations, claiming this was linked to Ukraine’s alleged attempted attack on Putin’s Valdai palace in December. Western intelligence and Ukraine vehemently deny that such an attack was carried out, calling it a false claim by the Putin regime and an excuse to block peace talks. This week, Galuzin blocked the Geneva talks by calling for “external governance of Ukraine under UN auspices.” He said Russia was “ready to discuss with the United States, Europe and other countries the possibility of establishing an interim foreign administration in Kiev.” Galuzin claimed that such a move was necessary to stop Zelensky’s “election manipulations”.
Galuzin said Putin was ready to make a ceasefire one day to follow the elections in Ukraine.
Zelensky said that the election could only be possible with a two-month ceasefire.
The Russian top diplomat said a new government is needed in Kiev “with which it would be possible to sign a full-fledged peace agreement and legitimate documents on future interstate cooperation.”
Galuzin’s demands appear to be Russia’s latest cynical attempt to delay peace talks and an agreement to end the war.
Overnight, Russia again brutally attacked Odessa, hitting railway infrastructure and oil facilities during a massive drone strike.
Ukraine carried out one of the most intense attacks of the war in the Krasnodar region, hitting Putin’s favorite Black Sea resort, Sochi.
“This is one of the most sustained and major attacks of the Kiev regime against our city,” Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov said.
The exact targets hit by Ukraine remained unclear earlier today.
