Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal for direct talks between the two leaders, saying he saw "no point" in a face-to-face meeting as the conflict continues with no breakthrough in peace efforts.
Thursday's letter, the first public message Zelenskyy has written directly to Putin since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022 , was a sweeping critique of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin described Zelenskyy’s open letter proposing the meeting as "boorish,” particularly after a May 22 drone attack on a college dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region that Moscow said killed 21 and wounded scores of others.
"Is it a way to create conditions for personal meetings and talks, or create an environment which makes any personal meetings impossible?” Putin said. "I think it’s the second.”
He said that he sees "no point” in the meeting.
