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.
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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. Trump’s anger at Putin for this stance rejects the idea floated by Republicans, perhaps due in part to not wanting to throw away the leg work he has already put in with Zelensky for a peace deal.
What to know
March was a month of negotiations over Ukraine involving delegations from Washington, Moscow and Kyiv meeting in Saudi Arabia which resulted in proposals for a temporary deal and a Black Sea ceasefire.
But on March 28, Putin again questioned whether his officials should be speaking with Kyiv’s current administration at all, suggesting a transitional administration, overseen by the U.N. and several countries to organize elections.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson dismissed the proposal and that Ukraine’s governance is determined by its constitution and its people.
Over the weekend, Trump told NBC he was “pissed off” with Putin for casting aspersions on Zelensky’s legitimacy.
Tammy Bruce reiterated this position, telling reporters that Putin’s calls for a Ukrainian temporary government to replace Zelensky were “not appreciated” by Trump and that Ukraine is “a constitutional democracy” where governance is determined by its constitution and the Ukrainian people.
Elina Beketova, a fellow Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), a Washington, D.C. think tank told Newsweek elections in Ukraine would only be possible after martial law ends but first there needed to be a ceasefire.
She said the consensus is that Ukraine would need at least 12 months to restore the infrastructure required for a ballot but only stable peace is established.
What people are saying
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce: “There was an idea from Russia about a temporary administration that was not appreciated by the president … governance in Ukraine is determined by its constitution and its people.”
Elina Beketova, a fellow Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) to Newsweek: “Elections will only be possible after a stable ceasefire and peace are achieved. Right now, Ukraine doesn’t have either of these.”
What happens next
Zelensky has rejected holding polls until a ceasefire is declared in line with Ukrainian law and the majority of people in Ukraine back that decision.
Ukraine’s parliament passed a resolution affirming his legitimacy as president and that elections are not possible until after the war ends.
Trump expressing his view that Zelensky is legitimate, means the ball is in Putin’s court over whether to accept the White House’s stance.