Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday revealed that Russia and the United States discussed the possibility of elections in Ukraine during high-level talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to Russia news agency, there was an “exchange of views” on the subject during Tuesday’s meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“Of course, a decision on this cannot be made in Moscow or Washington,” Peskov added.
In what appears to be an attempt to see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed aside, Moscow has portrayed him as an illegitimate leader and has been calling for elections that could result in his replacement.
Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia invaded the country a few years ago, with regular presidential and parliamentary elections cancelled and political activity restricted.
There is broad agreement within the country that elections should not be held while battles continue, as it would be hard to ensure the participation of soldiers and refugees both at home and abroad.
For Moscow, however, convincing the President Donald Trump administration in Washington that Zelensky should not play a role in negotiations to end the war would be advantageous and the issue of elections could serve as a useful talking point.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained in power thanks to a series of increasingly unfair and unfree elections in the country.
Trump had recently taken positions that align with Russia’s stance on ending the war in Ukraine.
The Republican also ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, and no return to the borders.