At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Vladimir Putin provided a detailed comment regarding the possibility of a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian leader stated that at the moment, he sees no point in such a dialogue, calling it 'shifting from empty to empty'.
Reference to the 'Minsk Agreements'
As his main argument against negotiations, Putin cited his experience working on the so-called Minsk Agreements. According to him, at that time, the parties spent nights drafting documents, but it later turned out that for Western partners, this was merely a way to buy time. 'The Minsk Agreements were only to buy time and rearm Ukraine,' he stated, referring to information from top German officials.
Condition for Dialogue
Putin emphasized that for the Russian side, what matters are not temporary agreements for six months or three months, but decisions for a 'long-term historical perspective.' He proposed that experts first work out specific solutions, after which the heads of state could meet to sign the documents. In Putin's opinion, the current situation does not provide grounds for a meeting, as only the Ukrainian side sees the point in it, striving to stop the advance of Russian troops.
Reaction to Zelensky's Letter
The statement by the Russian leader came against the backdrop of the publication of a letter from Volodymyr Zelensky, in which the Ukrainian President proposed holding a personal meeting on the territory of a third country. Kyiv was ready to discuss ways to achieve a lasting peace, even proposing a temporary ceasefire during negotiations and an exchange of prisoners on a 'all for all' basis.
During the press conference, Putin also once again accused Ukraine of striking a civilian college in the Luhansk region. In response to a direct question from journalists about whether his position means a complete refusal to meet, he answered briefly: 'I see no point.'
International Context
It is worth separately noting the reaction of the international community. US President Donald Trump, commenting on Zelensky's initiative, positively assessed the very fact of discussing a potential meeting. He emphasized that the United States made significant efforts to create the conditions necessary for such a dialogue, however, Moscow's position remains unchanged.