President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, commented on an open letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that he had only briefly reviewed it and does not see any meaningful purpose in holding a meeting at this stage.
Putin said the letter had been shown to him the day before and that he had “glanced at it” again in the morning. He added that he noticed certain remarks, including references to his age, but emphasized that while age matters, what matters more is fulfilling one’s duties properly.
He also claimed that a Russian businessman had met Zelenskyy in Kyiv, adding that he has never refused meetings in principle, but sees no value in meetings “for the sake of meeting.”
“First, we need to reach agreements and arrangements, not for six months or a year, but for the long term,” Putin said. “But first we must reach a solution, and that is the essence of the matter.”
When asked whether he would meet Zelenskyy, he responded: “For now, I see no reason.”
During his remarks, Putin referred to Zelenskyy not by name but as “the author of this letter.” He also questioned why Ukraine does not want U.S. President Donald Trump to act as a guarantor in peace talks, adding that he is “grateful to Donald” but that more work is needed.
He further criticized Ukraine for making diplomatic discussions public, calling it a mistake.
