Russia’s Putin says ‘no point’ meeting Ukraine’s Zelenskyy for now

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has turned down an offer for in-person talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he sees no point in such a meeting for now.

Putin delivered the remarks during Russia’s flagship economic forum in St Petersburg on Friday, a day after Zelenskyy shared an open letter appealing for a face-to-face meeting in which the two leaders could hash out an end to the war.

Zelenskyy responded later on Friday, saying Putin’s rejection of his ⁠proposal showed that the Kremlin had no wish to end the war.

“Unfortunately, the ⁠Russian side is ⁠once again choosing war – everyone hear the ⁠response. A weak ⁠response,” the Ukrainian president ⁠said in his nightly video address. “I think this response ‌will have disappointed many in the ‌world.”

Putin had said Zelenskyy’s letter, which urged the Russian leader to “not be afraid to take the path out of this war”, was rude in parts and did not strike him as sincere.

“This letter contains some rather ‌rude remarks. Was it a way to create the conditions for a face-to-face meeting or a way not to set up a face-to-face meeting? I think it was the second,” said Putin.

Asked whether he would ⁠meet the Ukrainian leader, Putin said, “I ⁠don’t see any point for now.”

“It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That’s it,” continued Putin. “And we need agreements … Let the experts work, develop some solutions, and then we can meet.”