A proposed peace settlement for Ukraine has raised concerns that Russia may attempt to influence the election process to replace Ukraine’s wartime leader with a pro-Putin candidate. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that Ukrainian elections must take place as a condition for peace, a stance he has personally endorsed.
These statements followed a significant meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The discussions, which lasted over four hours, resulted in an agreement that elections should be held in Ukraine before finalizing any peace settlement.
This proposal has heightened fears that Russia might use the election process to remove President Volodymyr Zelensky from power and install a leader more amenable to Moscow’s terms. Later that day, Mr. Trump confirmed that the election demand originated from him, speaking from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. He criticized Ukraine’s current political state, noting that martial law had prevented elections and alleging that Zelensky’s approval rating had plummeted to 4 percent.
“If Ukraine wants a seat at the table, wouldn’t the people have to say it has been a long time since they had an election?” Trump stated. He emphasized that this initiative was not driven by Russia but by various international actors, including himself.
This development poses a challenge for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had advocated for NATO troops to act as peacekeepers in Ukraine. He had also pledged to urge Mr. Trump to ensure U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine during his upcoming visit to Washington. In response, Mr. Trump expressed no objection to European troops being deployed in Ukraine.
The Times reported that Britain is considering deploying Typhoon fighter jets to monitor Ukrainian airspace as part of a potential peace agreement. Meanwhile, France is set to host a second round of discussions on European security and Ukraine on Wednesday.
Lavrov revealed that U.S. negotiators proposed a mutual moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure in both Russia and Ukraine, an idea previously discussed during Black Sea grain deal negotiations but rejected by Kyiv.
Zelensky, who was not invited to the Saudi talks, canceled a planned visit there, citing uncertainty over whether the U.S. or Russian delegations would remain for meaningful discussions. Expressing frustration, he insisted that any negotiations should be fair and involve European stakeholders, including Turkey, which had offered to host the talks.
“Ukraine, Europe—including the EU, Turkey, and the UK—should be involved in shaping security guarantees with America regarding our region’s future,” Zelensky stated in a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He denounced the talks occurring “behind our backs.”
Trump defended Ukraine’s exclusion from the negotiations, arguing that Kyiv had ample time to settle the war. “They’ve had a seat for three years. A half-baked negotiator could have resolved this years ago without much land lost, without lives lost, and without cities destroyed,” he said.
Tuesday’s discussions marked a significant shift in U.S.-Russia relations, with both countries agreeing to restore diplomatic missions and commence economic and geopolitical negotiations. The proposed peace framework would begin with a ceasefire, followed by Ukrainian presidential elections, which had been postponed due to martial law. The final phase would involve a formal agreement between Kyiv and Moscow to end hostilities.
Some polls indicate that Zelensky’s support fell to approximately 50 percent in late 2024, down from over 70 percent a year earlier. Russian President Vladimir Putin has questioned the legitimacy of Zelensky’s presidency since he remained in office past his official term, which ended in May of the previous year.
A Ukrainian source condemned the U.S.-Russia discussions, calling them an “unbelievable absurdity.” Lavrov, however, characterized the talks as productive, stating that both sides had agreed to a structured negotiation process. Rubio expressed confidence that Moscow was willing to engage in serious peace efforts. “If the war ends, not only will the world be better, but there will be unique opportunities for U.S.-Russia collaboration in geopolitics and economics,” he said.
He also claimed that only Mr. Trump could broker an end to the war, adding, “Obviously, much work remains, but President Trump is the only one who can make it happen.”
Following conflicting statements, the U.S. ultimately decided not to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, a decision that raised questions about the feasibility of Starmer’s proposal for British deployments. Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge emphasized the need for clarity on whether the U.S. would provide security backing before any British peacekeeping mission could be considered.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that France was not preparing to send ground troops into Ukraine’s conflict zones. Instead, he stressed that any involvement would be minimal and strictly limited to non-combat areas.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s opposition to NATO forces entering Ukraine as part of any ceasefire deal. He also insisted that resolving the conflict required a reconfiguration of European defense structures, aligning with Moscow’s longstanding demand for NATO’s withdrawal from Eastern Europe, which it perceives as a direct threat.
As diplomatic negotiations unfold, tensions remain high, with Ukraine resisting external pressure to hold elections under conditions that could reshape its leadership and its stance in the ongoing war.
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