Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for direct talks aimed at ending the more than three-year-long war, saying he sees no need for a face-to-face meeting at the present time.
In an open letter issued on Thursday, Zelensky invited Putin to engage in direct negotiations, arguing that hopes of renewed US mediation had diminished as Washington’s attention shifted to the escalating crisis involving Iran. He suggested that ceasefire efforts had effectively stalled amid changing geopolitical priorities.
Putin, however, dismissed the proposal, describing the initiative as inappropriate and reiterating Moscow’s long-standing position that substantive peace negotiations should precede any ceasefire agreement.
Speaking at Russia’s annual economic forum in St. Petersburg on Friday, the Russian leader said he saw no justification for such a meeting under current circumstances.
“At this moment, I do not see any need for such a meeting. Was this really an attempt to create favorable conditions for dialogue, or simply a way to avoid negotiations? I believe the latter is true,” Putin said.
Responding to the remarks, Zelensky accused Russia of choosing war over peace.
“Russia is once again choosing war. He (Putin) does not want to end the conflict. I think many people around the world are disappointed by this response,” the Ukrainian president said.
Moscow has consistently maintained several conditions for ending the conflict, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as abandoning its ambitions to join NATO.
Kyiv, however, has firmly rejected any territorial concessions, arguing that yielding occupied territories could embolden Russia to launch further aggression in the future.
Despite intermittent diplomatic efforts, prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain as both sides continue to hold sharply differing positions on the terms of peace.
Source: BBC