By Gloria Ogbonna

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a bold proposal, calling for China, North Korea, and all BRICS nations—including India, Brazil, and South Africa—to be included in ceasefire negotiations for the ongoing war in Ukraine.

His remarks, made during a visit to Murmansk, signal an effort to reshape the diplomatic landscape surrounding the conflict, but they also raise questions about the feasibility and motivations behind such an approach.

BRICS, originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2009, expanded in 2010 to include South Africa. In 2023, the bloc grew further, welcoming Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ethiopia as full members.

This year, thirteen additional countries were granted “partner” status, though Putin did not specify whether he intended for all of them to participate in peace talks.

One of the most controversial aspects of Putin’s proposal is the inclusion of North Korea, a nation that has been actively supplying Russia with troops and weapons for its war effort.

Ukraine is unlikely to accept Pyongyang’s participation, given that South Korea recently reported that North Korea had dispatched an additional 3,000 soldiers to Russia in January and February of this year, adding to the at least 11,000 already sent. Furthermore, South Korea claims that at least 4,000 North Korean troops have been killed in combat.

North Korea has also provided Russia with missiles and artillery, solidifying its role as a military supplier in the conflict. Some analysts believe Putin’s decision to highlight North Korea in peace talks is a strategic move to reinforce ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who is reportedly planning another visit to Russia later this year.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko recently confirmed that diplomatic arrangements for Kim’s trip are underway, though no exact date has been announced.

During his speech, Putin went beyond ceasefire negotiations and suggested an interim international administration could replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.

According to Putin, this temporary governing body, under the auspices of the United Nations, the United States, European nations, and “partners and friends” of Russia, would oversee Ukraine, conduct democratic elections, and facilitate peace negotiations.

“This is just one of the options. I am not saying that there are no others,” Putin remarked. However, he has long dismissed Zelensky’s government as illegitimate, an argument he reiterated on Thursday, stating that even if elections were held, any successor to Zelensky would also be “illegitimate.”

Putin’s claim that Ukraine’s leadership lacks legitimacy stems from his view that the current government was founded on a “coup” in 2014—an assertion widely disputed. Ukraine’s former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was impeached by parliament for corruption and fled to Russia, where he remains in exile.

In 2017, a Ukrainian court convicted him in absentia of high treason for aiding Russian aggression. Yanukovych’s successor, Petro Poroshenko, governed until 2019, when Zelensky was elected in a democratic vote.

Despite Putin’s insistence that Zelensky’s authority is unlawful, his own electoral history has been marred by allegations of fraud and political repression.

Critics argue that his call for an international administration in Ukraine is less about democracy and more about installing a government more favorable to Moscow’s interests.

Unsurprisingly, Ukraine has outright dismissed Putin’s proposal. Zelensky responded forcefully, accusing Putin of being afraid of real negotiations and of strong leadership.

“Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Zelensky stated.

His communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, was even more blunt, mocking Putin’s mental state.

“If Putin is once again struggling to understand who he needs to engage with to seriously move toward ending this war, maybe he should just pop some pills to kickstart his brain activity—assuming such pills still have any effect on him,” Lytvyn quipped.

Lytvyn also noted that despite recent ceasefire discussions, Russia had already launched two confirmed strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the past 24 hours.

While Russia and Ukraine had reportedly agreed to stop targeting each other’s energy grids earlier this week, both sides have since accused each other of violating the agreement.

The Trump administration, which officially took office in January 2025, also rejected Putin’s idea for an international governorship of Ukraine.

A White House national security spokesperson told Reuters that Ukraine’s leadership must be determined solely by “its constitution and citizens,” signaling that the U.S. has no interest in legitimizing Moscow’s attempt to influence Ukraine’s government.

Putin’s latest proposals appear to be less about achieving a genuine peace and more about reshaping Ukraine’s political landscape to favor Russian interests.

By suggesting an international administration and including pro-Russian nations in peace talks, he may be attempting to secure a ceasefire on terms that cement Russian control over occupied territories while sidelining Ukraine’s sovereignty.

As the war drags on, it remains unclear whether Putin’s call for expanded negotiations will gain any traction.

However, with continued battlefield losses and mounting pressure from international sanctions, his latest strategy suggests he is searching for a way to regain diplomatic leverage—without making meaningful concessions.

Source Breitbart