Putin says 'no point' meeting with Zelenskyy, vowing to double down on war efforts

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that any meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, would be pointless until a peace agreement is reached. Speaking at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin asserted that Russia would press forward with its military operations until its objectives are met.

This stance comes after Zelenskyy made a rare direct appeal for a summit to discuss ending the four-year war. Zelenskyy proposed setting a clear date for such a meeting, aiming for direct engagement to resolve the conflict. However, Putin dismissed the overture, stating, "I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it. And we need agreements."

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I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it. And we need agreements.

In response to Putin's rejection, Zelenskyy characterized the Russian leader's position as "weak" and accused him of opting for continued conflict. Russia has previously outlined its demands, including control over Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and significant political and military restrictions on Kyiv. These conditions have been rejected by Ukraine and its allies as tantamount to capitulation.

Despite the diplomatic impasse, Russia carried out new deadly attacks on Thursday, with Ukrainian authorities reporting civilian casualties in the Donetsk region. The conflict, which began with Putin's full-scale offensive in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction in eastern and southern Ukraine, and millions displaced.

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Unfortunately, the Russian side is choosing war again, everyone heard today's response. A weak response. He simply doesn't want to end the war.