Ukraine-Russia struggle newest: US rejects Putin name to oust Zelensky for interim authorities to barter peace

A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of working against the peace process, following Vladimir Putin’s comments overnight that the Ukrainian government should go.

In a visit to a submarine facility, Putin said a temporary administration should be put in place in Ukraine under the watch of the UN, to allow Russia to start peace talks.

Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the President of Ukraine, rubbished the comments this morning.

“Russia is trying to derail the path to peace by choosing to continue the war,” he wrote on social media.

During a visit to a Russian nuclear submarine base in Murmansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin said removing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration would enable to countries to start peace talks.

Ukraine has been under martial law because of the war following Russia’s invasion, and under its constitution, it cannot hold elections in a war-time period.

Many leaders including prime minister Sir Keir Starmer have accused Mr Putin of “playing gams” and trying to delay the peace process.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a nuclear submarine facility yesterday, where he said Volodymyr Zelensky should be removed from power in Ukraine and a temporary administration installed instead, to pave the way for elections and a peace accord.

Yesterday 31 world leaders gathered at the Elysee Palace in Paris to discuss ways to strengthen support for Ukraine.

Led by French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the group made several broad decisions – though more detail needs to be worked out at subsequent talks.

Here are the main takeaways from the summit.

‘Reasurrance force’ will be sent to Ukraine

The UK and France have committed to a “reassurance force” of military forces on the ground for Ukraine – but it won’t be a substitute for a peacekeeping force, Mr Macron said.

“But it will be a force that will be placed in strategic areas agreed with the Ukrainians in order to provide sustainable support in the long term, reassurance and a deterrent against any potential Russian aggression,” he said.

Sanctions will get tougher

Sir Keir Starmer said now was not the time for loosening sanctions against Russia.

“On the contrary, now is the time for increasing sanctions on Russia, to get them to the table, to these negotiations, to the hope of a ceasefire and a long and a lasting and secure ceasefire,” he said.

Peace deal must be reached in weeks, not months

Sir Keir reiterated that Russia was playing games, and there needed to be more pressure on Russia to come to the table sooner.

“I don’t want to put a hard deadline on this, but we need to see this developing in days and weeks, months and months, and we need to move on to that space,” he said.

Europe will increase military coordination

Emmanuel Macron said the “coalition of the willing” agreed to boost their military investments and improve defence coordination between the countries.

Ukrainians and the country’s constitution determine governance in Ukraine, the White House has said today.

The comments from a White House National Security spokesperson came after reported comments from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who suggested a temporary administration in Ukraine could make way for accords to end the war.

“This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.

Ukraine’s military said Russia launched 163 drone attacks overnight.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces said it shot down 89 of the drones, while 51 of the drones did not reach Russia’s targets.

But some drones did hit targets, with images released by Ukraine’s emergency services showing fires in the Odesa region.

Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh round of a spring offensive in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Talking to the French news publication Le Figaro, Mr Zelensky said that the Russian president Vladimir Putin is attempting to delay ongoing peace negotiations to buy time for an offensive against Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts in Spring 2025.

He added that Russia wanted to storm these already besieged parts of Ukraine in the fall last year but had to deploy these resources to Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk oblast in August.

Intensified ground operations by Russia are likely in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhia oblasts, Mr Zelensky said.

But what are these minerals exactly and why are they so sought after?

Ukraine is often recognised for its vast agricultural lands and industrial heritage, but beneath its surface lies one of the world’s most remarkable geological formations, the “Ukrainian Shield”.

This massive, exposed crystalline rock formed over 2.5 billion years ago, stretches across much of Ukraine. It represents one of Earth’s oldest and most stable continental blocks.

The minerals have become central to global politics, writes Munira Raji:

Vladimir Putin suggested Ukraine be placed under a form of temporary administration, by removal of the current Volodymyr Zelensky administration, to allow for new elections and the signature of key accords to reach a settlement in the war, Russian news agencies reported early today.

“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,” Mr Putin was quoted as saying in talks with seamen at the port.

“This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty,” he said.

Moscow has wrongly claimed that the Zelensky administration in Kyiv is “illegitimate” as they did not hold elections last year. However, the Ukrainian constitution says no elections can be held in a war-time period and while the country is under martial law.

Mr Putin also appreciated Donald Trump’s efforts to proceed with direct talks with Russia – in contrast with his predecessor Joe Biden, who shunned contacts – showed the new president wanted peace.

“In my opinion, the newly elected president of the United States sincerely wants an end to the conflict for a number of reasons,” the agencies quoted him as saying.

Vladimir Putin has attended the launch of a new nuclear-powered submarine named Perm on Wednesday, various Russian news outlets reported.

The Russian president said the vessel would “strengthen Russia’s maritime security and safeguard its national interests,” particularly in regions like the Arctic.

“I hereby authorise,” the Russian president said as he commissioned the submarine named after the city Perm in the Urals.

The new Russian submarine is likely to be first of its kind to be equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles as a standard feature.

Russia’s Zircon missiles are considered highly difficult to intercept as they are reported to fly at several times the speed of sound and have a range of nearly 1,000km.