Putin sees "no point" in meeting with Zelenskyy to discuss ending war

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said helium sees "no point" successful gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful an effort to extremity the war with Ukraine.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy wrote a letter to Putin, the archetypal nationalist connection helium has sent to the Russian person since Russia invaded Ukraine successful February 2022, successful which helium criticized Putin's 26 years of regularisation and said "age is opening to instrumentality its toll."

Speaking astatine the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin described Zelenskyy's unfastened missive proposing the gathering arsenic "boorish."

"Is it a mode to make conditions for idiosyncratic meetings and talks, oregon make an situation which makes immoderate idiosyncratic meetings impossible?" Putin said astatine a question-and-answer league astatine his yearly St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. "I deliberation it's the second."

Putin added that a Russian businessman whom helium didn't place traveled to Kyiv past period and met with Zelenskyy to perceive his connection of a idiosyncratic meeting.

However, Putin said helium presently sees "no point" successful specified a meeting, particularly aft a May 22 drone onslaught by Ukraine connected a assemblage dormitory successful the Russian-controlled Luhansk portion that Moscow said killed 21 and wounded scores of others.

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In effect to Zelenskyy's barbs astir his property and agelong enactment successful power, the 73-year-old Putin pointed astatine different planetary leaders who are older, adding that "the main happening isn't age; the main happening is the quality to work."

He besides mocked Zelenskyy's rocky Oval Office gathering successful 2025 and thanked U.S. President Trump for "educating" Zelenskyy "before the eyes of the full world" and teaching him a due formal code.

"There is inactive a batch to beryllium done," helium said.

Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, saying it would beryllium incorrect to simply hold for the Trump medication to instrumentality its attraction to ending the warring successful Ukraine portion it remains heavy focused connected the Iran war.

In Washington, Mr. Trump said Thursday it "would beryllium great" if Putin and Zelenskyy meet.

Mr. Trump said Friday helium didn't caput if the 2 leaders met earlier the U.S. got involved, arsenic helium projected successful the past.

"I'm the 1 that got them to this point," Mr. Trump said portion speaking to reporters connected Air Force One. "And I deliberation that's going to get worked out. ... We privation to spot it done."

Putin has antecedently offered for Zelenskyy to travel to Moscow for talks, an connection that the Ukrainian person pointedly rejected. Putin said past period helium doesn't exclude a gathering successful a 3rd country, but lone erstwhile determination is simply a woody to sign.

On Thursday, Putin again rejected Zelenskyy's propulsion for an contiguous ceasefire, arguing that Moscow wants a broad settlement, not a impermanent truce.

Putin said Russia is unfastened for a compromise connected Ukraine successful enactment with understandings reached astatine his past year's acme with Mr. Trump successful Anchorage, Alaska, adding that Ukraine needs to judge them to marque a woody to extremity the conflict.

"Naturally, the Ukrainian broadside would similar america to suspend the advances made by Russian troops," helium said. "But it would beryllium amended to extremity the warfare by agreeing to the compromises that were discussed successful Anchorage."

Asked astir Iran, Putin voiced anticipation for an eventual woody to unafraid lasting peace. He shrugged disconnected claims that Moscow provided Iran with outer images, saying that Tehran could usage wide disposable commercialized ones.

"As for weapons, Iran hasn't asked america for them and we haven't supplied immoderate weapons to Iran," helium said, adding that Russia stands acceptable to instrumentality enriched uranium for retention arsenic portion of a imaginable bid deal, and that Moscow has stayed successful interaction with Iran, the U.S. and Israel.

Global turbulence

In a code earlier Friday astatine the forum, Putin said processing countries person gained an progressively important relation successful the planetary economy, portion the stock of output by Western countries has shrunk.

He accused the West of undermining the planetary system and finances with unilateral sanctions. By freezing Russian assets overseas done sanctions, Western nations eroded spot successful their ain currencies, helium said.

"The sanctions and blocking of Russia's sovereign reserves person irreversibly impacted the lasting of planetary currencies, the dollar and the euro," helium said. "Just similar Russia, immoderate different state could suffer entree to their morganatic assets successful dollars oregon euros, arsenic good arsenic Western fiscal and outgo systems."

He alleged that precocious authorities indebtedness had helped undermine planetary spot successful Western institutions.

"The roots of the existent planetary turbulence prevarication successful the modulation from a vertical, hierarchical model, which served the interests of a tiny fig of states, to a much complex, distributed and multipolar one," Putin said. "Russia views planetary changes not lone arsenic a menace but besides arsenic immense opportunities. And to capitalize connected them, we purpose to enactment swiftly and pragmatically."

The Russian person said the satellite needed a "modern, flexible and liable fiscal architecture — escaped from risks, bans and barriers."

Putin stresses Russia's macroeconomic stability

Putin played down Russia's economical slowdown and sought to stress its macroeconomic stability. He noted that Russia's authorities indebtedness is simply a fraction of that successful Western countries and its fund shortage is considerably smaller, compared with the West.

The forum comes astatine a clip erstwhile Russia's economical outlook has clouded amid the struggle successful Ukraine. The authorities raised taxes and accrued home borrowing to support its fund shortage nether control.

On Thursday, Putin told heads of planetary media connected the forum's sidelines that it was an exaggeration to accidental Russia's system was struggling. He noted that his authorities had taken deliberate steps to chill the system to support ostentation nether control.

Putin has utilized the St. Petersburg forum, likened to the World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, to showcase his country's economical advances and promote overseas investment. While Western officials and concern leaders person stayed distant aft Putin sent troops into Ukraine successful 2022, Russia has sought guests from elsewhere to underline its declared extremity of promoting a "multipolar world."

Saudi Arabia sent a ample delegation this year, and the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tanzania and vice president of China besides gave speeches Friday. A U.S. official, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., caput of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, is attending for the archetypal clip successful years.

Cook was singled retired successful the assemblage during a question-and-answer league pursuing Putin's speech. Cook praised the quality of St. Petersburg and Putin thanked him for the remarks astir his hometown and asked to convey his greetings to Mr. Trump.

Hours earlier the forum opened Wednesday, a Ukrainian drone onslaught acceptable ablaze an lipid terminal successful St. Petersburg and besides deed a adjacent naval base.

Putin declared that Russia was "calmly and resolutely" moving to scope its goals successful Ukraine. He acknowledged the harm from Ukrainian drone attacks heavy wrong Russia and vowed to physique up defenses.

"They bash inflict a definite damage," helium said. "For us, it means lone 1 thing: we request to fortify our security, fortify aerial defenses, and we volition bash that."

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