Putin Demands Long-Term Donbas Settlement Before Any Zelenskyy Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees “no point” in meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after receiving an open letter from him requesting direct talks and a ceasefire. Putin made the remarks Friday at Russia’s annual economic forum in St Petersburg, according to multiple reports citing his statements there.

Putin told the forum that any ceasefire must be accompanied by a permanent political settlement addressing Russia’s goals in the Donbas region rather than a temporary pause. “The only point is for the Ukrainian side to halt the advance of our armed forces.

But we need agreements — not for six months, not for three months, but for the long term,” he said, according to sources quoting his speech. He added that military action would end only after Russia achieves its objectives, including control of the entire eastern Donbas region.

The open letter from Zelenskyy was published Thursday and marked the first public direct message he has sent to Putin since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. Sources describe the letter as containing a sweeping critique of Putin’s 26 years in power along with comments about his age. Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting to discuss ending the war.

After Putin’s remarks, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that Russia was choosing war again and that many in the world would be disappointed.

Ukraine’s military said on Friday that it struck five ships carrying illegal cargo in the Sea of Azov and in waters off Russian-occupied territory. A Ukrainian drone exploded in the Romanian port of Constanta after being knocked off course, according to reports citing Ukrainian and Romanian officials.

Russian strikes over the past day killed at least 13 people and injured 70 others in Ukraine, officials said. Four people died when a dairy factory near Kyiv was hit. One person was killed and three wounded overnight in the Dnipropetrovsk region after Russian forces struck three districts nearly 30 times with drones and artillery, according to regional head Oleksandr Hanzha.

In Zaporizhzhia, five people sought medical care after a Russian drone strike started a fire at a parking lot, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with 272 strike drones and Ukrainian air defenses shot down 249 of them, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday.

On the Russian side, residents of St Petersburg were told not to leave their homes after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city Saturday morning. St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov advised residents not to go outside and warned of possible disruptions to mobile internet service.

Regional Gov Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down over the surrounding Leningrad region. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 376 Ukrainian drones overall. No casualties were immediately reported from the Saturday morning drone attack on St Petersburg.

A Ukrainian drone strike set ablaze an oil terminal in St Petersburg and hit a nearby naval base on Wednesday. Speaking at the forum, Putin said Russia will strengthen its air defenses to counter recent Ukrainian drone attacks.