Putin rejects Zelenskyy meeting proposal, calls it 'boorish'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for a direct meeting to resolve the ongoing conflict, labeling the proposal "boorish" and questioning its sincerity. Putin stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that Zelenskyy's open letter offering a meeting created an environment that made personal talks impossible.

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Is it a way to create conditions for personal meetings and talks, or create an environment which makes any personal meetings impossible? I think it’s the second.

Putin pointed to a recent drone attack on a college dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region, which Moscow claims killed 21 people, as a reason to doubt the utility of a meeting. He suggested that the timing was inappropriate given such escalations.

Responding to Zelenskyy's critiques of his long tenure and age, the 73-year-old Putin drew parallels with other older global leaders, emphasizing that capability, not age, is paramount. He also appeared to mock Zelenskyy's past diplomatic engagements, including a meeting in Washington, and thanked former US President Donald Trump for perceived lessons in diplomacy and dress code.

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the main thing isn’t age; the main thing is the ability to work.

While Putin acknowledged a Russian businessman's trip to Kyiv to relay Zelenskyy's offer, he reiterated his stance that a meeting would only be productive if there was a concrete deal to sign. He rejected Zelenskyy's push for an immediate ceasefire, advocating instead for a comprehensive settlement based on previous discussions, which he believes Ukraine needs to accept for an end to the conflict.

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Naturally, the Ukrainian side would like us to suspend the advances made by Russian troops. But it would be better to end the war by agreeing to the compromises that were discussed in Anchorage.