President Putin: I see no reason to meet with Mr. Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on June 5 that he sees no compelling reason for a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin suggested that ongoing technical negotiations and expert-level discussions are the more suitable path forward.

Putin's remarks came in response to an open letter Zelensky had published the previous day. The Russian leader stated he found no "meaning" in a face-to-face encounter when the two sides have yet to reach concrete peace agreements. "I don't see any reason to meet. The only thing that makes sense for the Ukrainian side is to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's all. And we need agreements," Putin said.

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Tôi không thấy có lý do gì để gặp mặt. Điều duy nhất có ý nghĩa với phía Ukraine là ngăn chặn đà tiến công của lực lượng vũ trang chúng tôi. Chỉ vậy thôi. Và chúng ta cần các thỏa thuận

He further elaborated that specialists and negotiation teams from both countries should continue their work to develop potential solutions before any summit meeting. "Let the experts work, develop solutions, and then we can meet," Putin added. He also criticized Zelensky's open letter, describing some of its comments as "quite rude" and questioning whether it was intended to facilitate or avoid a direct meeting, suggesting the latter.

In his address, Putin also reaffirmed Russia's firm stance on the conflict, asserting that military operations in Ukraine would only cease once Moscow achieves its stated objectives. "Military operations will end someday. They will certainly end when we achieve the goals we have set for ourselves," he stated. Regarding Russia's economic situation, Putin dismissed claims of collapse, asserting the country maintains stability and pursues an "sovereign" economy, despite recent data indicating a slowdown with a 0.2% GDP decrease in the first quarter of 2026.

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