Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed putting Ukraine under external governance under the auspices of the U.N. as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. It was a statement that reflected his determination to achieve his war goals. In televised remarks early Friday, Putin reaffirmed his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Kyiv maintains that elections are impossible to hold amid a war. Putin claimed that any agreement that is signed with the current Ukrainian government could be challenged by its successors.
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