Putin names condition for meeting with Zelenskyy
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he currently sees no point in a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, he outlined a condition for such a meeting at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Putin claimed that he had never refused a meeting with the Ukrainian President, but sees no point in having a pointless discussion.
The Kremlin chief said that it reminds him of the Minsk agreements.
"We sat all night formulating these Minsk agreements, and then it turned out from the words of senior German officials that it was nothing but hot air. The Minsk agreements were only meant to buy time and rearm Ukraine," Putin said.
He stressed that he does not see the point in meeting. According to him, the meeting only makes sense for the Ukrainian side—to halt the advance of Russian troops.
"We need agreements not for six months or three months, but for a long-term historical perspective. Let the experts work and develop some solutions. After that, we can meet, be present at the signing of documents, or even sign something ourselves," he added.
Putin also once again accused Ukraine of striking a civilian college in the Luhansk region and urged Russian forces to "keep working." When asked directly whether this meant he was refusing a meeting, he replied: "I see no point."
What is known about Zelenskyy’s letter
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s letter to the Russian leader was published yesterday. In his appeal, the Ukrainian President proposed a personal meeting in a third country to discuss possible ways to achieve a lasting peace.
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to declare a ceasefire during negotiations. Kyiv also proposed a prisoner exchange in an "all-for-all" format. According to the President, this could be an important step toward ending the war.
US President Donald Trump, commenting on Zelenskyy’s letter to Putin, positively assessed the fact that a potential meeting is being discussed. He emphasized that the United States had made significant efforts to create the conditions necessary for such dialogue.
More details about Zelenskyy’s letter are available in an RBC-Ukraine report.
