Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday criticised an open letter sent by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposing direct talks to end the war between the two countries. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin questioned Ukraine's position on peace negotiations.

Putin Questions Ukraine’s Stance

During the discussion, Putin questioned why Ukraine continues to rely on US military support while opposing a larger American role in guaranteeing a future peace agreement. “Reliable guarantors are welcome. But why deny this role to the American administration and to Donald Trump in particular? I don't understand it. They want to receive weapons from the US, but they do not want to see the US administration and President Trump as guarantors,” Putin said, as quoted by India Today.

Putin Praises Trump’s Efforts

He praised US President Donald Trump for his efforts to advance a settlement, and said parts of Zelenskyy's letter were "rude." Putin said, “We saw Donald (Trump) instructing and pointing things out to Zelenskyy... On the whole, I would like to thank Donald for this work. It is useful. But there are other things that need to be done and this work must continue.’

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Responding to a question about Zelenskyy's proposal for direct talks, Putin said he saw little value in a meeting simply for the sake of the meeting. “Zelenskyy asked for a meeting. I never refuse to meet. But meeting just for the sake of meeting, I've seen that before,” the Russian President added. Putin also revealed that he had reviewed parts of Zelenskyy's open letter after being informed about it by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

He said some remarks in the letter were unlikely to help create an atmosphere for meaningful negotiations. “This letter contains some rather rude remarks. Was it intended to create conditions for a face-to-face meeting, or was it intended to avoid one? I think it was the second," Putin said. Referring to comments in the letter about age and leadership, Putin said age alone does not determine a person's ability to lead.

Putin further criticised Ukraine's decision to postpone elections during the war. He argued that political leaders should seek legitimacy through elections and constitutional processes. “One should not be afraid to run for office and seek a mandate from the people,” he said.

Zelenskyy’s Open Letter

In his open letter published on Thursday, Zelenskyy called on Putin to agree to direct talks aimed at ending the conflict. He proposed a leaders' summit in a neutral country such as Switzerland, Turkey or an Arab state, along with a full ceasefire and an "all-for-all" prisoner exchange during negotiations. “The choice is yours now. Enough of war. Ukraine proposes to end this war," Zelenskyy wrote.

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