Putin calls to remove Zelensky, ‘finish off’ Ukrainian troops

MURMANSK, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Friday for a “transitional administration” to be put in place in Ukraine and vowed his army would “finish off” Ukrainian troops, in hardline remarks as US President Donald Trump pushes for a ceasefire.

A rapprochement between Washington and Moscow since Trump´s return to office and the US leader´s threats to stop supporting Kyiv have bolstered Putin´s confidence more than three years into an offensive that has killed tens of thousands on both sides.

The renewed call to essentially topple Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was the latest demonstration of the Kremlin leader´s long-standing desire to install a more Moscow-friendly regime in Kyiv.

Speaking on the sidelines of an Arctic forum in the early hours of Friday, Putin said Russia could discuss with the United States, Europe and Moscow´s allies, “under the auspices of the UN, the possibility of establishing a transitional administration in Ukraine.”

“What for? To organise a democratic presidential election that would result in the coming to power of a competent government that would have the confidence of the people, and then begin negotiations with these authorities on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents,” Putin added.

When launching its offensive in 2022, Moscow aimed to take Kyiv in a matter of days, but was repelled by Ukraine´s smaller army. Putin also issued a public call for Ukraine´s generals to topple Zelensky, whom Putin has repeatedly denigrated, without providing any evidence, as a neo-Nazi and drug addict.

Moscow has also questioned Zelensky´s “legitimacy” as Ukrainian president, after his initial five-year mandate ended in May 2024. Under Ukrainian law, elections are suspended during times of major military conflict, and Zelensky´s domestic opponents have all said no ballots should be held until after the conflict.

Putin, in power for 25 years and repeatedly elected in votes with no competition, has throughout the conflict accused Ukraine of not being a democracy.

Asked about Putin´s remarks later on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was motivated by what Moscow sees as the Ukrainian leadership´s “total lack of control” over the army, which he accused of trying to attack Russian energy sites “on a daily basis”.

He said that “at the moment” Russia was sticking to a commitment not to target Ukrainian energy facilities -- despite multiple claims by Kyiv, including on Friday, that Russia has attacked them.

“The Russian side reserves the right, if the Kyiv regime does not observe the moratorium, also not to follow it,” Peskov said. Ukraine has accused Russia of breaching its self-imposed order not to hit energy targets on multiple occasions. Its air force reported Friday that Russia had fired 163 drones in an overnight aerial barrage, triggering fires at infrastructure and agricultural sites in the south of the country.