Putin proposes transitional administration in Ukraine under UN auspices

In his March 28 speech in the northwestern city of Murmansk, Putin said that "along the entire front line, our forces have the strategic initiative."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russian forces have the "strategic initiative" along the frontline in Ukraine and can "finish off" the Ukrainians. Putin also proposed a future "transitional administration" in Ukraine under the auspices of the United Nations, AFP reports.
In his speech on 28 March in the northwestern city of Murmansk, Putin said that "along the entire front line, our forces have the strategic initiative."
"There are reasons to believe that we will finish them off," he said, adding that "the Ukrainian people themselves must understand what is happening."
He also raised the idea of a "transitional administration" for Ukraine.
"We could, of course, discuss with the United States, even with European countries and, of course, with our partners and friends, under the auspices of the United Nations, the possibility of creating a transitional administration in Ukraine," the Russian leader said.
"For what? To organize democratic presidential elections that would lead to the coming to power of a competent government that has the confidence of the people, and then to start negotiations with these authorities on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents," he stressed.
The President added that the idea of a transitional administration "has already been used several times" within the UN, recalling in particular the case of East Timor in 1999.
His statements came after Ukraine's European allies met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on 27 March.
French President Emmanuel Macron said after the summit that France and Britain were presenting plans for a "reinforcement force" in Ukraine once the fighting was ended.
He stressed that the members of this force would not be peacekeepers deployed on the front line or any substitute for the Ukrainian army. | BGNES