Putin Says Direct Meeting With Zelensky Must Follow Substantive Deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no point in meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until a peace agreement is prepared. Zelensky had proposed face-to-face talks to end more than four years of war.
rte.ieRussian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no point in meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until a peace agreement is prepared. The statement came a day after Zelensky released an open letter calling for direct talks. Putin spoke at Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg.
"I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it. And we need agreements," he said.
Zelensky proposed a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations and said the United States has the capability to monitor it along the line where hostilities stop. He added that the path to peace must begin at the frontline. The Ukrainian leader warned that continued war could threaten Putin's position.
"It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes," Zelensky wrote.
Macron welcomed Zelensky's appeal and said it is time to resume dialogue. Leaders of France, Germany and Britain will meet Zelensky in London on Sunday to discuss pressure on Russia. The French presidency said Russia is persisting with a deadly war despite military, economic and strategic setbacks. The meeting will also review work toward a just and lasting peace.
Ukraine recaptured more territory than it lost to Russian forces in May for the second straight month, according to analysis by the Institute for the Study of War. Russia's economy faces rising prices, tax hikes and two-decade-high borrowing costs. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Western intelligence assesses Russia could attack a NATO country as soon as 2030.
He pledged to publish a long-delayed defence investment plan before next month's NATO summit.
A Ukrainian envoy met Polish officials today over Kyiv's naming of a military unit after a nationalist group accused of World War II massacres. Poland has called the decision worrying and urged Ukraine to reconsider. The envoy will also meet representatives of Poland's president on Saturday.
The dispute involves the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which Poland says killed 100,000 Poles between 1943 and 1945.
Transparency
Story details
Related Stories
ForbesZelenskyy Proposes Direct Talks With Putin to End Ukraine War; Putin Rejects Offer
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no point in meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader sent an open letter requesting face-to-face negotiations. Putin spoke at the St Petersburg economic forum and restated that military action will co…
Fox NewsSenate Fails to Advance FISA Section 702 Reauthorization as Democrats Block Vote Over Trump's DNI Pick
Democrats blocked a procedural vote on the surveillance law renewal, citing President Trump's selection of Bill Pulte as Director of National Intelligence. The June 12 deadline to extend Section 702 authorities is now in doubt.
ReasonFederal judge rules Trump administration violated law by pausing immigration applications from 39 countries
A federal judge found that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services unlawfully paused decisions on asylum, green cards, work permits, and citizenship for applicants from 39 countries. The ruling came the same day the Senate passed funding for expanded immigration enforcement.