Putin says he currently sees no reason to meet Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he sees no reason at present to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rejecting Kyiv’s latest proposal for a face-to-face meeting aimed at ending the war that has now entered its fifth year.
The remarks came after Zelenskyy published an open letter addressed to several countries, including the United States, calling for direct negotiations with Putin. In the letter, the Ukrainian president argued that many Russians were growing weary of the war due to continued Ukrainian drone and missile attacks, rising inflation and fuel shortages, and were increasingly ready for peace.
Zelenskyy also suggested that prolonging the conflict could eventually threaten Putin’s grip on power, saying Russian history had shown that major political changes often followed periods of public exhaustion and hardship.
Speaking at Russia’s annual economic forum, where business leaders voiced concerns over high interest rates and economic stagnation linked to the war and Western sanctions, Putin dismissed the letter as insincere. He said the message contained “rude remarks” and questioned whether it was genuinely intended to create conditions for dialogue.
Putin, who repeatedly referred to Zelenskyy only as “the author of the letter,” said a meeting would only be meaningful if Ukraine agreed to halt the advance of Russian forces. He stressed that Moscow was seeking long-term agreements rather than temporary arrangements lasting only a few months. “Let the experts get to work and come up with some solutions. After that, we can meet,” he said.
Russian war bloggers and pro-Kremlin commentators also criticized Zelenskyy’s letter, describing it as a public relations move designed to stir dissatisfaction inside Russia rather than achieve peace.
During a separate meeting with international media, Putin maintained his hardline position, saying Russian troops were continuing to advance daily on the battlefield. However, he added that proposals by U.S. President Donald Trump could help end the conflict if Ukraine was willing to compromise.
The war has evolved into a prolonged conflict of attrition in eastern Ukraine, with heavy casualties on both sides. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory more than four years after launching its military offensive, Reuters reports.
Ukraine has refused to withdraw from the remaining parts of the Donbas region under its control and says it will never recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, while Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and oil refineries, adding further pressure on Russia’s economy already strained by Western sanctions.
