FIFA chief Gianni Infantino opened the door to Russia’s return to global football.
And he dismissed the prospect of a boycott of this year’s World Cup amid the volatile political backdrop.
Russia was banned from the play-offs for the 2022 tournament in Qatar following the country’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year.
They were suspended from qualifying for either Euro 2024 or the 2026 World Cup.
Fifa has come under pressure to impose a similar sanction on Israel given the ongoing conflict with Palestine.
But Infantino suggested that Russian youth sides should be allowed to play competitively again.
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That would be seen as the first step in the country’s return to the international stage.
Talking to Sky News, the Swiss said: “We have to look at lifting this ban, definitely.
“Because this ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred.
“Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.”
Ukraine’s sports minister branded Infantino as “irresponsible – not to say infantile” for considering lifting Russia’s ban.
Ukrainian sports minister Matvii Bidnyi said in a statement to Sky News: “Gianni Infantino’s words sound irresponsible – not to say infantile. They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed.
“War is a crime, not politics. It is Russia that politicises sport and uses it to justify aggression. I share the position of the Ukrainian Association of Football, which also warns against Russia’s return to international competitions.
“As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicising sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity, and fair play.”
Bidnyi added that more than 100 footballers have been killed by Russians.
Describing the idea of a ban for Israel as “a defeat”, Infantino went on: “We should enshrine in our statutes that we should actually never ban any country from playing football because of the acts of their political leaders.
“Somebody needs to keep the ties open.
“There is never any call for boycotts by businesses or on diplomatic levels, so why football?
“In our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come, can meet around the passion for football.”
Infantino’s comments came in the same interview where he apologised to British fans for a joke about their behaviour.
He angered supporters during a speech last month when, referencing the 2022 World Cup, he quipped: “For the first time in history, also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup.
“Imagine. This is something really, really special.”
The Football Supporters Association fumed: “He should concentrate on making cheap tickets rather than making cheap jokes about our fans.”
But he has now rowed back and added: “It was meant to be more of a light-hearted remark, to show that the World Cup in Qatar was a celebration, it was a peaceful event.”
Infantino, 55, said sorry to fans from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, adding that it was “not my intention” to cause offence.
He also said he was a “huge fan of English football” and had been wrong to say English people “just go and riot around the world” at football matches as fans, referring to them as “criminals” instead.
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