Putin rejects Zelenskyy meeting offer, vows Russia will achieve war aims

Vladimir Putin has rejected Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer to hold a face-to-face meeting on ending the conflict, insisting instead that Russia will accomplish its military objectives in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s offer proposed a meeting in a third country, such as Switzerland or Turkey, while affirming that Ukraine was prepared to enter a full ceasefire while negotiations were ongoing. The offer was backed by key allies, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Unfortunately, the Russian side is once again choosing war. Everyone heard the response. I think this response will have disappointed many in the world,” Zelenskyy said.

The offer also pointed to Russia’s recent military setbacks and growing fuel shortages following successful Ukrainian attacks on key supply routes. Ukraine has reportedly intensified attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure in recent months, targeting oil depots, refineries and export facilities in a growing threat to one of the country’s main sources of income.

Putin dismissed the claims and maintained that his territorial demands remain unchanged, describing the invitation as “rude” and adding that he sees no point in discussing an end to the six-year conflict. 

“What is this letter about? Is it a means to create the conditions for a personal meeting, or is it intended to ensure that no such meeting takes place? I think it is the second,” Putin said, encouraging Russian troops to keep fighting.

Putin also dismissed claims that the Russian economy was under severe strain from the escalating cost of the war, including rising prices, tax hikes and the highest borrowing costs in two decades. Although Russia’s economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026, Putin insisted the country had merely “descended to the same level at which eurozone countries have been living for years.”

Putin also addressed sanctions on Russian sovereign reserves, saying they had irreversibly damaged the standing of international currencies, including the dollar and the euro.

“Just like Russia, any other country could lose access to its legitimate assets in dollars or euros, as well as Western financial and payment systems,” he said.