---
title: "Zelenskyy rejects idea of phone call with Putin: 'It will be another history lecture'"
description: "At a briefing in Berlin, Zelenskyy rejected the idea of phone negotiations with Putin, calling them \"futile.\" The president also stressed the need for an in-person format and a ceasefire as the first step toward peace."
date: 2026-11-03T15:54:08.842Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-rejects-phone-call-with-putin
tags: [ukraine, zelensky, putin, peace-negotiations, berlin, abudhabi, ceasefire]
author: "Marina Slivenko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelenskyy rejects idea of phone call with Putin: 'It will be another history lecture'

![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a podium during a briefing in Berlin](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/03/zelenskyi-otvergl-ideyu-telefonnogo-razgovora-s-putinym/zelenskyi-otvergl-ideyu-telefonnogo-razgovora-s-putinym-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Zelenskyy rejected the idea of phone talks with Putin at a Berlin briefing, calling them "futile" and "another history lecture"
- The Ukrainian president stated that inviting Putin to Kyiv or Moscow is "destructive"
- Zelenskyy emphasized that a ceasefire must be the first step to ending the war, with in-person meetings as the format
- The statement coincided with a dispute over the interpretation of the October 27 phone call between Stubb, Støre, and Putin: the FT and Støre offer mutually exclusive accounts
- Ukraine intends to discuss security guarantees at upcoming negotiations in Abu Dhabi

At a briefing in Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically rejected the possibility of telephone negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, calling them "futile." According to the head of state, such a conversation would turn into "another history lecture" rather than concrete steps toward ending the war. The statement came in response to a direct question about Kyiv's readiness to invite Putin for peace talks, to which Zelenskyy answered negatively, RBC-Ukraine reports citing the President's Office.

### Why Kyiv will not invite Putin to Kyiv or Moscow

Zelenskyy argued his position by pointing out that in 2022 Russia came to Ukrainian territory "without an invitation," and a second invitation makes no practical sense since, in his assessment, Moscow will not come. "Inviting them so that they don't come is destructive," the president emphasized. He gave a similar assessment to the Russian side's initiative to invite the Ukrainian delegation to Moscow, calling it "a spit in the face of the whole world that wants the war to end." According to him, no international party will support such trips.

### The phone format: "A game we understand"

Answering a question about the possibility of limiting talks to a phone call, Zelenskyy stated that Russia uses this format as an excuse not to meet in person anymore. "It will be a very official, dry telephone conversation during which there will be another history lecture from Putin, rather than real steps to end the war," he noted. The president stressed that to end the conflict, it is necessary to "meet, negotiate, and prove why this side is wrong, since it is the aggressor," with a ceasefire being the first step.

### Context: Dispute surrounding Stubb and Støre's call with Putin

Zelenskyy's statement came against the backdrop of a recent telephone conversation held on October 27 with Putin by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. One of the main topics was the possibility of peace talks. According to the Financial Times, citing three sources, Putin devoted most of the conversation to "lectures on medieval Slavic history." However, Støre categorically rejected this interpretation, stating that Putin asked for the opportunity to present his version of events from 2014 to the present, and demanded that journalists correct the publication. The FT, in turn, stated that it would not make changes to the article.

### Prospects for talks in Abu Dhabi and security guarantees

In addition to criticizing the telephone format, Zelenskyy outlined the practical agenda for future peace talks, which he said should take place in Abu Dhabi. He named security guarantees as a key item Ukraine intends to discuss. The president also reported that Kyiv had previously appealed to Moscow with a proposal to extend and expand the ceasefire regime after the humanitarian mission in Oleshky, but in response received a massive strike across the entire territory of Ukraine.

## Accounts differ

### The course and content of the telephone conversation between Stubb, Støre, and Putin on October 27

- **Financial Times:** According to three sources, Putin devoted most of the conversation to "lectures on medieval Slavic history" rather than discussing peace and settlement issues. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/znovu-bude-istorichna-lektsiya-zelenskiy-1793720860.html))
- **Jonas Gahr Støre (Prime Minister of Norway):** Putin asked for the opportunity to present his version of events from 2014 to the present; Støre denies the interpretation of the conversation as "lectures on medieval history" and asks journalists to correct the article. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/znovu-bude-istorichna-lektsiya-zelenskiy-1793720860.html))

*Where they agree:* The telephone conversation took place on October 27, with peace negotiations to end the war against Ukraine being one of the topics.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Снова будет историческая лекция. Зеленский отреагировал на идею звонка Путину](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/znovu-bude-istorichna-lektsiya-zelenskiy-1793720860.html) - Direct quotes of Zelenskyy from the Berlin briefing provided by the President's Office. The context of the Stubb/Støre call with Putin on Oct 27 and the FT's position are also given in the source text.

## FAQ

### Why did Zelenskyy reject the idea of a phone call with Putin?

According to the Ukrainian president, the phone format would be used by Russia as an excuse never to meet in person again. He expects a "very official, dry conversation" featuring a "history lecture" rather than concrete steps to end the war.

### Is Zelenskyy ready to invite Putin to Kyiv for negotiations?

No. Zelenskyy answered this question negatively, pointing out that in 2022 Russia came without an invitation, and a repeat invitation, in his view, would not result in the delegation's arrival and would be "destructive".

### What format of negotiations does Zelenskyy consider acceptable?

The Ukrainian president insists on in-person meetings where the parties must "negotiate and prove why this side is wrong." He names a ceasefire as the first step.

### What happened to Ukraine's proposal to extend the ceasefire after Oleshky?

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine approached Russia with a proposal to extend and expand the ceasefire regime following the humanitarian mission in Oleshky, but in response received a massive strike across the entire country.