Putin Rejects Zelensky Talks on Ending Ukraine War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for direct talks aimed at ending the war, saying there is currently “no point” in a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders.

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Zelensky made the appeal in an open letter published on Thursday, urging direct negotiations and calling for a ceasefire. He argued that it was wrong to wait for the conflict to once again become a major focus of US attention before seeking a resolution.

The Ukrainian leader's message adopted a defiant tone and included criticism of Putin. In response, the Russian president described parts of the letter as rude and questioned whether it was a genuine attempt to arrange talks.

Speaking at Russia’s annual economic forum in St Petersburg on Friday, Putin said he did not believe the proposal was intended to create the conditions for a meeting.

“I don't see any point for now,” he said when asked whether he would accept Zelensky’s offer.

Ukraine Criticises Moscow’s Position

Following Putin’s remarks, Zelensky accused Russia of choosing to continue the conflict rather than seeking peace.

Writing on Telegram, he said Putin did not want to end the war and suggested many countries would be disappointed by the Russian leader’s response.

Putin repeated Moscow’s longstanding position that negotiations should come before any ceasefire agreement. He argued that a temporary halt in fighting would give Ukraine an opportunity to regroup while key Russian demands remained unresolved.

According to Putin, experts should first work on potential agreements before any meeting between the two leaders takes place.

Russia Maintains War Aims

The Russian president also said military operations would continue until Moscow achieved its objectives.

Russia has consistently demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. It has also insisted that Kyiv abandon its ambition to join NATO.

Ukraine has rejected those conditions, maintaining that it will not surrender territory. Kyiv argues that making concessions would encourage future Russian aggression, noting that Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 after annexing Crimea in 2014.

In his letter, Zelensky also suggested that age was affecting Putin after more than two decades in power and highlighted recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, including one targeting St Petersburg on Thursday.

Fighting Continues

The exchange between the two leaders came as hostilities continued on multiple fronts.

US President Donald Trump welcomed the prospect of direct talks, saying it would be positive if Putin and Zelensky met.

Meanwhile, Ukraine said it had struck five vessels carrying what it described as illegal cargo in the Sea of Azov and waters near Russian-occupied territories. Ukraine’s drone commander, Robert Brovdi, said the ships were involved in transporting Ukrainian grain as well as fuel and military supplies.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry reported that five people were killed in attacks on two vessels in the Sea of Azov. It did not assign responsibility for the strikes and said the ships were not Azerbaijani.

Ukraine also said one of its drones exploded in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta after being diverted by Russian electronic interference.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian officials reported that at least 13 people were killed and 70 injured in Russian attacks over the previous day. Among the fatalities were four people killed when a dairy factory near Kyiv was struck and a 35-year-old woman who died in a drone attack on a petrol station in Kherson.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 6 June 2026

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