Putin refuses any meeting with Zelensky and accuses Kyiv of “lack of sincerity”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he currently saw no reason to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, thus closing the door to possible direct talks aimed at ending the conflict between the two countries.

This stance comes after the publication of an open letter from the Ukrainian president, addressed in particular to the United States and several international partners. In this text, Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that the Russian population was becoming increasingly weary of the war, due in particular to drone and missile attacks, inflation, and fuel supply difficulties.

According to Zelensky, the continuation of the conflict could even weaken the political position of the Russian president, suggesting that history shows that political changes can occur when Russian society expresses weariness with war.

During a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin rejected these proposals, arguing that the letter did not constitute a serious basis for engaging in direct dialogue. He specifically stated that certain passages of the text were "crude" and questioned Kyiv's true intentions.

The Kremlin chief also suggested that this initiative was aimed more at preventing a meeting than at making it possible, implying that current political conditions did not allow for face-to-face discussions with the Ukrainian president.

For his part, Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that this reaction proves, in his view, that Moscow is unwilling to end the conflict, which is now entering its fifth year. This lack of prospect for direct dialogue underscores the diplomatic stalemate between the two capitals, despite repeated calls from the international community for de-escalation.