Zelenskyy offered Putin summit via oligarch; leader refused direct talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin through an intermediary to discuss ending the war, but Putin rejected the proposal for a direct meeting. Zelenskyy confirmed he made the offer via Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, telling him that a ceasefire was the biggest compromise Ukraine could offer. He stated he was ready to meet Putin "anytime, in any format."

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I told him that the biggest compromise from our side is a ceasefire, and that we are ready to meet with him in any format, anytime.

Abramovich reportedly conveyed the message to Putin, who acknowledged meeting with a "business representative" in late May. However, Putin rejected the idea of a direct meeting, stating the businessman was not acting as an official envoy. Zelenskyy later sent a public letter to Putin on June 4, reiterating his call for a face-to-face meeting and including sharp criticism of Putin's long rule.

Putin reportedly deemed the letter "rude" and reiterated that a summit would be meaningless. A Ukrainian official noted that while Zelenskyy's message to Abramovich was similar to the public letter, its tone was less hostile. Ukraine has been seeking a ceasefire through summit proposals since last year, even while continuing its military resistance.

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There is no reason to meet with Zelenskyy.

Sources close to Abramovich suggested Zelenskyy might be mistaken in believing a direct presidential meeting could solve all problems, noting it's not Putin's preferred method and wouldn't work with figures like former U.S. President Trump. Putin has previously stated that dialogue could occur at the level of foreign ministries or intelligence agencies, excluding a direct summit from the early stages of negotiation.

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He thinks he can solve all problems through a 'charisma magic' of meeting between leaders. This is not Putin's way at all, nor Trump's.

Abramovich, a billionaire known for owning Chelsea Football Club, has faced significant losses due to the war, including the sale of the club under pressure from the British government and the freezing of his assets in the West. He has since been involved in mediating talks on Ukrainian grain exports and prisoner exchanges. A Ukrainian official described him as "the only Russian that Ukrainians can trust" because "he gets along with everyone."

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He is the only Russian that Ukrainians can trust. He gets along with everyone.