Putin rules out meeting with Zelensky, says 'there are no reasons to do so'
St. Petersburg, June 5
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to a meeting to end the war in Ukraine does not convince Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, at least for the moment, rules out the possibility of a face-to-face meeting with the Kyiv leader.
Before the audience of the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Russian President indeed declared that he "still sees no reason" to meet the Ukrainian President, as hoped by the latter in a recent open letter, Adnkronos news agency reported.
"I don't see the point of a meeting. It would only be of interest to the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces," Putin said, adding that it is necessary to "let specialists work, develop solutions, and then we can meet", thus arguing that a meeting with Zelensky would be "useless" until a peace agreement is reached.
The Russian President said that he had "a quick look" at Zelensky's letter.
"Spokesman Peskov showed me this letter yesterday. But we had a working meeting, a working dinner with the President of Uzbekistan (Shavkat Mirziyoyev). Frankly, I didn't have time to look at it. This morning, Peskov passed it to me again. I gave it a quick look, but I read it nonetheless," Putin added, according to the Russian news agency.
According to the Russian leader, the letter "effectively contains elements of rudeness. Is it a way to create conditions for a meeting and negotiations, or to create a context in which any meeting becomes impossible? I believe it is the second option."
"Military actions will end sooner or later, we are convinced of that. Without a doubt, they will end once the objectives we have set for ourselves are achieved," Putin said.
"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us -- and you. I am proposing a meeting," Zelensky said in his open letter.
"It would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the centre of its attention," he added.
He proposed that Switzerland, Turkey and countries of the Arab World host the meetings and resolve issues.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Both sides are playing politics at the cost of human lives. Russia says no meeting until objectives are met, Ukraine says meet to end war. As an Indian, I just hope our country stays neutral and focuses on our own issues like inflation and jobs. War is never good for common people. 🇮🇳
Putin's statement is typical strongman rhetoric. He's basically saying "I'll talk when I'm winning." But war is not a cricket match where you can just declare victory and walk off. Thousands have died already. This needs a ceasefire first, not strategic delays.
Russia wants to complete its military objectives first. Ukraine wants talks to stop the advance. This is a classic deadlock. India should push for a mediated solution like we did during the Cold War. But both sides need to be willing to compromise first. 🤷♂️
Putin's comment about Zelensky's letter being "rude" is ironic considering Russia invaded Ukraine. But this is realpolitik - Russia holds the upper hand militarily and won't negotiate from weakness. The only way this ends is when one side is exhausted or the international community forces a settlement.
I'm no fan of Putin but he's being honest - he doesn't want a meeting because it would give Ukraine a platform to demand a halt to the Russian advance. But wars don't end with ultimatums. Both leaders need to think beyond their egos. Human lives are at stake. 😤
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.