Russian President Vladimir Putin says he sees no reason for now to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no reason to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the moment after the Ukrainian president published an open letter proposing face-to-face meetings to reach an agreement on ending the war.
The Kremlin chief said Zelensky’s letter was rude in parts and did not appear to be a sincere offer to negotiate.
“This letter contains rather rude expressions. Was this a way to create conditions for a face-to-face meeting, or a way not to arrange a face-to-face meeting? I think it was the second one,” Putin said.
Asked whether he would meet the Ukrainian leader on stage at Russia’s annual economic forum, Putin said, “I don’t see any point at the moment.”
In his meeting with international media the day before, Putin maintained his harsh stance on the war and said that his soldiers were advancing on the battlefield every day.
But he also said US President Donald Trump’s peace proposals could end the conflict if Ukraine was ready to compromise.
Each side accuses the other of refusing to compromise.
Earlier Friday, Russian nationalists dismissed Zelensky’s letter as a malicious public relations stunt designed to incite discontent within Russia rather than end the war.
Despite their differences, Russia and Ukraine exchanged more prisoners of war on Friday.
The Russian defense ministry said Russia rescued 185 of its own soldiers and handed over the same number of Ukrainian prisoners.
Russian officials thanked the United Arab Emirates for mediating the exchange.
The handover took place again on the border between Ukraine and Belarus.
Zelensky confirmed the return of 185 Ukrainian soldiers.
He wrote on social media that a civilian was also released.
Some of the returnees have been held by Russia since 2022, he said.
Russia and Ukraine regularly exchange prisoners of war.
It is the only area where dialogue between the two sides has worked for more than four years since the start of the war.
The previous round took place on May 15, when the two warring sides each surrendered 205 captured soldiers.
In his letter to Putin, Zelensky also proposed a complete exchange of all prisoners of war as a step towards peace.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday that it was aware of a serious incident at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant that injured some Russian military personnel, shortly after Russia said Ukraine had broken an agency-brokered ceasefire with an attack.
According to a statement published on X, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi called for maximum military restraint and full adherence to the ceasefire.
with DPA
