Putin said he has never ruled out a meeting with Zelenskyy, arguing whether “such a meeting would be meaningful”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not rule out the possibility of meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but questioned whether such talks would carry any real weight given Kyivโs current political and constitutional situation. He suggested the conflict could be resolved politically if Ukraine and Western nations adopted a pragmatic approach, warning that otherwise Russia would be forced to achieve its objectives militarily.
โIโve never ruled out meeting Zelenskyy,โ Putin said. “But the real question is whether such a meeting would be meaningful.”ย He argued that Ukraine is led by an โillegitimate leaderโ and constrained by a constitution requiring referendums and martial law provisions that could be extended indefinitely.
Putin says Russia is fighting for rights, not land
The Russian leader stressed that Moscowโs war aims are centred on protecting cultural and linguistic rights rather than seizing territory. โWe are not fighting for land,โ he said. โWe are fighting for peopleโs rights โ to speak their language and practise their culture. If those people choose democratically to join Russia, we must respect that choice.โ
Security concerns and NATO opposition
Reiterating Moscowโs long-standing stance, Putin described Ukraineโs potential NATO membership as a direct security threat. โEvery country has the right to ensure its own security, but not at the expense of another,โ he said. He added that while Russia has consistently opposed NATOโs expansion, it has never objected to Kyivโs economic decisions, including closer ties with the European Union.
Trump expresses disappointment
Putinโs remarks came shortly after US President Donald Trump voiced sharp disappointment with the Russian leader. Trump said his administration was preparing measures aimed at reducing the human toll of the war in Ukraine. โI am very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that,โ Trump noted. โAnd we will be taking steps to help people live.โ
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