Zelenskyy Proposes Direct Talks with Putin; Russian Nationalists Dismiss It as a Stunt

Russian nationalists on Monday dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a malicious performance aimed at stirring internal discontent in Russia, rather than ending the war, Reuters reported. Zelenskyy released the open letter on Sunday, proposing a meeting between the two leaders to negotiate an end to more than four years of fighting. Putin was at the time hosting an event with foreign news editors at the annual economic forum in St. Petersburg. At the forum, Putin maintained his tough stance, emphasizing that Russian forces are advancing on the battlefield every day. However, he also stated that a peace proposal put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump could end the war if Kyiv is willing to compromise. Both sides accuse each other of refusing to compromise. Putin has not yet responded to the letter, but his spokesman said he was aware of its contents. Putin is scheduled to deliver a speech at the forum later on Monday. Russian nationalists and war bloggers were highly critical of Zelenskyy's open letter. Rybar, a war blogger influencer with over 1.5 million followers, said, 'The text of this statement shows no sign of any sincere diplomatic effort,' calling it a bluff. The European Union on Monday supported Zelenskyy's call for direct talks in his open letter to Putin. EU spokesperson Anitta Hipper said, 'We welcome President Zelenskyy's call for direct negotiations and a ceasefire. For our part, we reiterate the basic fact that Ukraine wants peace, and Europe wants peace.' French President Emmanuel Macron also welcomed Zelenskyy's call for direct dialogue with Putin on Monday, saying it is time to 'restore dialogue with Moscow.' Speaking at an EU-Balkans summit in Montenegro, Macron said, 'I believe it is now up to Ukraine and Russia to reach a ceasefire and a peace agreement. European countries can help facilitate this.'