05.06.2026 President Vladimir Putin said he does not see any sense in meeting Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader requested talks in person to end the war.
Zelensky sent an open letter on Thursday, May 4, calling for direct negotiations with Putin, writing that it would be “wrong to simply wait”.The Ukrainian president also requested a ceasefire, while striking a defiant, at-times mocking tone.
Putin called the note “rude” and refused the request for a meeting, reiterating his position that peace talks should precede any ceasefire.
Putin responds to Zelensky’s ‘open letter,’ calling for a direct meeting between the two leaders (my translation):
“Yesterday my press secretary, Mr Peskov, showed me this letter. But we had a working meeting, a working dinner with the president of Uzbekistan. Honestly, I… https://t.co/jBBCWoedDw pic.twitter.com/eBJ3uPVmvR
— Brian McDonald (@BrianMcDonaldIE) June 5, 2026
Following his speeches at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Vladimir Putin answered questions from participants. He affirmed the unchanged goals of the military operation, assessed the economic resilience under sanctions, disclosed details of his non-public contacts with the Ukrainian side, and responded to an open letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Putin reported that three weeks ago, a Russian businessman told him about an invitation to Kyiv. He met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after which Putin held a meeting with the businessman himself. Zelenskyy requested a personal meeting.
Putin’s Speech at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Online
Economy
That was May 21st, and on May 27th, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a college in Starobilsk. “This is a terrible crime,” the president said.
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Putin addresses to the "author of this letter" after reading Zelensky's letter:
👉 He said about staying in power & the elected position. But you've got to participate in elections, run, be courageous enough & always stick to the Constitution.
👉 I never refuse to meet.… https://t.co/CtoNnErI7m pic.twitter.com/5PW6HPABJG
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) June 5, 2026
Putin commented on a letter from the Ukrainian president, shown to him by Dmitry Peskov. According to him, the author of the letter mentioned his age. “The main thing is not age, but ability to work,” the president responded. He also noted that the author of the letter points out the undesirability of adhering to the Anchorage agreements.
Ukraine wants to receive weapons from the United States, but it does not need guarantees.
He thanked US President Donald Trump for “reprimanding Zelenskyy and working on his manners.”
Putin sees no point in meeting with Zelenskyy now.
Objectives of the Special Operation
Putin expressed confidence that the fighting would end once Russia achieves its stated objectives.
Putin emphasized that the objectives of the special military operation remain unchanged. The first objective is the complete liberation of Donbas. The LPR was completely liberated on April 1, while less than 15% of the DPR’s territory remains under Kyiv’s control.
“Denazification” was named as another objective.
Putin addressed the military personnel separately: “Comrade soldiers and sailors, admirals and generals, the whole country is proud of you, the whole country is looking up to you. Keep working, brothers!”
