Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a face-to-face meeting aimed at ending the nearly four-year war, declaring that such a summit would be pointless until negotiators first reach concrete agreements.

Speaking Friday at an economic conference in St. Petersburg, Putin made clear that Moscow has no intention of altering its military course and said Russia will continue fighting until it secures the objectives it set when the conflict began. His remarks came one day after Zelenskyy publicly called for direct talks between the two leaders in an effort to break the diplomatic deadlock.

According to Putin, a meeting with Zelenskyy would serve no useful purpose at this stage.

“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,” Putin told Russia’s flagship economic forum.

“Let the experts work, develop some solutions, and then we can meet,” Putin added.

Moscow has continued to insist on sweeping concessions from Ukraine, including recognition of Russian control over the Donbas region and major political and military limitations on Kyiv. Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected those demands, arguing that they amount to surrender. Efforts by the United States to broker a settlement have so far failed to narrow the divide between the two sides.

In his appeal Thursday, Zelenskyy urged Putin to engage directly in an effort to end the conflict.

“Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting,” Zelensky said in an open letter. “I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting.”

Following Putin’s rejection, Zelenskyy accused the Russian leader of deliberately prolonging the war and avoiding meaningful negotiations.

“Unfortunately, the Russian side is choosing war again. Everyone heard today’s response — a weak response. He simply doesn’t want to end the war,” he said after Putin rejected the call.

Zelenskyy has argued that only a summit between the two leaders can resolve the central disputes standing in the way of peace. His proposal received backing from several key Western leaders, including President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Ukrainian president is scheduled to meet Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London on Sunday as he seeks to revive international diplomatic efforts and increase pressure on Moscow.

Meanwhile, Putin reiterated that Russia’s military campaign will continue until its objectives have been fulfilled.

“Military actions will end someday, we assume. Without a doubt, they will end once we have achieved the goals we have set for ourselves,” Putin told the audience of business leaders and visiting dignitaries from Russia’s allies.

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, devastated large portions of eastern and southern Ukraine, and displaced millions of civilians. What Moscow initially expected to be a rapid operation has evolved into a prolonged and costly conflict.

Russian attacks continued Friday, with Ukrainian officials reporting that four civilians were killed and seven others wounded in strikes on the Donetsk-region communities of Mykolaivka and Druzhkivka.

Putin also sought to push back against growing concerns over the state of Russia’s economy, which has been burdened by soaring military expenditures, inflation, tax increases, and elevated borrowing costs.

“We, of course, hear criticism from all sides that everything has collapsed,” Putin said.

“We have descended to the same level at which eurozone countries have been living through for the past few years,” the Russian leader said, adding that Russia was pursuing a “sovereign” economy.

The day before, when asked about concerns that Russia could be approaching a severe economic crisis, Putin invoked a famous quote often attributed to author Mark Twain.

“Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he said, rejecting the idea that Russia was on the brink of a full-blown crisis.

Putin’s comments came just days after the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), an event once known as the “Russian Davos,” was overshadowed by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting the city.

Ukraine has increasingly focused on striking Russian energy infrastructure, including oil depots, refineries, and export facilities, in an effort to undermine one of Moscow’s most critical sources of revenue.

The atmosphere at SPIEF reflected how dramatically circumstances have changed since the early years of Putin’s rule, when Western executives and investors regularly attended the gathering to pursue business opportunities in Russia’s expanding economy.

This year, displays of military technology were far more prominent. Reporters at the event observed Russian-made humanoid robots moving through the exhibition halls, while numerous exhibits promoted investment in territories Russia annexed from Ukraine.

Among the attendees were actor Steven Seagal, conservative commentator Candace Owens, Trump’s ballroom commissioner, and lawmakers from Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany party.

{Matzav.com}