UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s recent proposal to place Ukraine under a “temporary government.”
Asked about Putin’s proposal of a UN-led temporary government in Ukraine, Guterres said: “First of all, Ukraine has a legitimate government, and so obviously that must be respected.”
Regarding the ongoing conflict and efforts to mediate peace, Guterres confirmed that the UN has had some contact with the US.
However, he clarified that the UN is not currently playing a direct role in negotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the Black Sea region.
Meeting with submarine sailors in Russia’s city of Murmansk on Thursday, Putin said international practice suggests the possibility of introducing external governance, which will pave the way for legitimate negotiations on a Ukrainian settlement.
The Russian president argued that for negotiations with Ukraine to take place, a legitimate government must be in place, adding: “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.”