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Putin on Zelenskyy’s letter: It creates potential for conflict
The Kremlin dictator, Vladimir Putin, has stated that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s letter "creates the potential for conflict".
He is quoted by the Russian media, according to Censor.NET.
Details
"Such appeals do not lay the groundwork; what do they actually amount to? They amount to creating the potential for conflict. They are constantly saying that they want a face-to-face meeting," said the dictator.
Zelenskyy’s letter to Putin
- On 4 June, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, published an open letter to the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, in which he proposed a meeting.
- In his letter, Zelenskyy proposed to Putin that they end the war "between us and you" and set a specific date for a meeting. Among the countries that could host such a meeting, the head of state mentioned Switzerland, Turkey, and countries in the Arab world.
- Whilst negotiations are ongoing, Ukraine is prepared to implement a full ceasefire, and the US could provide monitoring.
- The President of Ukraine believes that an exchange of prisoners of war on an ‘all for all’ basis could serve as a good first step towards ending the war. Mr Zelenskyy also emphasised the steps needed to secure the return of civilians and children who were taken away during the war.
- On 5 June, Putin said that he had glanced at Zelenskyy’s open letter that morning "in passing", and that he had "never refused" the Ukrainian president a meeting, but was opposed to "talking at cross-purposes" and currently "saw no point" in direct talks.
- During the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin stated that a Russian businessman had allegedly travelled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
- Subsequently, the Financial Times, citing four sources, reported that in May, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich visited Kyiv at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian leader sought, through him, to persuade Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to agree to direct peace talks.
