Zelenskyy reveals details of his meeting with Russian oligarch Abramovich
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: president.gov.ua)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first commented on reports of a meeting with Russian businessman Roman Abramovich in Kyiv. The oligarch reportedly sought to act as a discreet intermediary in communications with the Kremlin.
Secret mission, message from Putin
According to Zelenskyy, the Russian billionaire, who is under extensive sanctions because of his ties to the Kremlin, personally traveled to Kyiv. Abramovich said he had authorization to convey messages between the leaders of the two countries.
"He came to Kyiv. He said 'I brought a message direct to you, and I want to take messages from you and to give it to Vladimir Putin.' But he said that it has to be done silently without any kind of publicity," Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader noted that the format was not important to Ukraine, so he agreed to hear what the businessman had to say.
Zelenskyy says Abramovich's main objective was to understand what steps Ukraine might be willing to take toward a peaceful settlement.
Ukraine's red lines in negotiations
Despite Abramovich's attempts to act as an intermediary, Zelenskyy said he made Ukraine's stance on territorial integrity clear and emphasized that there would be no concessions regarding Donbas.
#Zelenskyy reveals details of his meeting with #Abramovich in #Kyiv pic.twitter.com/T0TVSErY0h
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) June 7, 2026
"It was the key message. I said we will not leave. We will not give you a victory in such way," the president stressed.
Asked whether he viewed Abramovich as a full-fledged mediator, Zelenskyy replied that the oligarch had simply undertaken to deliver Ukraine's response to the Kremlin.
Background
Earlier, Western media outlets revealed that in late May 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin through Roman Abramovich.
Journalists say the Ukrainian leader expressed his willingness to hold a bilateral summit, which could have become the first such talks in more than four years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Two senior officials also said the contents of the message were similar to an open letter later published on the website of Zelenskyy's office.
On June 5, during an appearance at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin responded to Zelenskyy's letter. Rather than addressing the substance of the proposals to end the war, he focused on personal grievances, saying he was offended by references to his age and his long tenure in power.
Later that same day, Zelenskyy responded to Putin's "weak" response delivered via the oligarch. The Ukrainian president said the reaction had disappointed many people around the world and demonstrated the Kremlin's unwillingness to end the war. He argued that the only remaining option for the international community is to increase financial and political pressure on Russia.
