June 5, 2026
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ruled out meeting his Ukrainian counterpart any time soon, a day after Volodymyr Zelensky called for a sit-down between the leaders to end the four-year war.
Speaking at an economic forum in his home city of Saint Petersburg, Putin said he saw “no point” in meeting Zelensky until the terms of a possible peace deal had been agreed.
He also vowed to press on with Russia’s military offensive until its war goals had been achieved in full.
