Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for a direct meeting, accusing Kyiv of seeking talks only to delay the progress of Russian forces.
Speaking during an exchange at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, Putin said there was “no point” in holding a meeting without prior agreements already prepared.
“I see no merit in such a meeting,” Putin said, addressing Zelensky’s open letter inviting him for direct talks.
“The sole objective, from the Ukrainian perspective, is to impede the progress of our Armed Forces, nothing more.”
The Kremlin leader said any leaders’ meeting would only be meaningful once specialists had worked out concrete solutions, adding that only then could leaders meet to discuss and potentially sign agreements.
Moscow earlier proposed a framework for ending the war in Ukraine, which now entered its fourth year, that included Kyiv’s neutrality and renunciation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) membership, limiting foreign military co-operation, and giving up control of parts of the eastern Donbas region.
Kyiv has strongly rejected the proposal and emphasised that Ukraine will continue to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Zelensky slams Putin’s ‘weak’ response
The Ukrainian president has heavily criticised Putin’s response, calling them “weak” and accusing him of prolonging the war.
“Unfortunately, the Russian side once again chooses war — everyone heard the response today. Weak response,” Zelensky said.
The actor-turned-politician Ukrainian leader also claimed that while Putin chooses to prolong the conflict, Russia is losing its momentum in the war, citing its shrinking resources due to Western sanctions.
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Russian economy remains strong: Putin
Despite figures showing Russia’s slow economic development, Putin maintained that the country’s economy remains strong and resilient despite Western sanctions and external pressure.
He argued that attempts to isolate Russia did not succeed, pointing to the presence of representatives from around 130 countries at the forum as evidence that Russia continues to remain actively engaged with much of the world.
The Kremlin leader also said that co-operation with certain partners in the US has continued, particularly in the energy sector, noting that despite earlier political resistance, Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) has still reached the American market because it is “profitable.”
Putin insists on US role in peace talks
In his speech, Putin also emphasised the US administration and Donald Trump’s role in any future peace settlement, saying Washington should not be excluded from formal negotiations or from acting as a guarantor of any agreement.
The remarks came after Zelensky said in his open letter that peace talks should be held in a neutral country such as Switzerland, Türkiye, or an Arab state, in an effort to create an impartial setting for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Putin questioned Ukraine’s push to exclude the US as a potential guarantor of any peace deal, despite Kyiv’s continued reliance on US military support.
He added that while Ukraine appeared open to involving European countries, it was unclear why Washington — including the US administration and President Donald Trump — should be left out of any formal role in securing an agreement.
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