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Russian President Vladimir Putin connected Friday (June 5, 2026) ruled retired gathering his Ukrainian counterpart immoderate clip soon, a time aft Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a sit-down betwixt the leaders to extremity the four-year war.
Speaking astatine an economical forum successful his location metropolis of Saint Petersburg, Mr. Putin said helium saw “no point” successful gathering Mr. Zelenskyy until a imaginable bid woody had been agreed. Mr. Zelenskyy deed back, saying the Russian person was “weak” and “choosing warfare again”.
Mr. Putin besides vowed to property connected with Russia’s subject violative until its warfare goals had been achieved.
Russia has demanded power of Ukraine’s eastbound Donbas portion arsenic good arsenic sweeping governmental and subject restrictions connected its neighbour.
Kyiv and its allies person ruled the conditions arsenic tantamount to capitulation and US-brokered bid talks person failed to bring the sides closer.
Mr. Zelenskyy connected Thursday (June 4, 2026) issued a uncommon nonstop entreaty to the Russian leader.
“Ukraine proposes ending this warfare done nonstop engagement betwixt america — and you. I americium proposing a meeting,” Mr. Zelenskyy said successful an unfastened letter. “I suggest to acceptable a wide day for specified a meeting.”
Mr. Putin refused, however.
“I spot nary constituent successful meeting. It lone makes consciousness for the Ukrainian broadside to halt the beforehand of our equipped forces. That’s it. And we request agreements,” Mr. Putin told Russia’s flagship economical forum.
“Let the experts enactment and make immoderate solutions, and past we tin meet,” Mr. Putin added.
Hundreds of thousands person been killed since Mr. Putin launched his full-scale violative — which helium calls a “special subject operation” — successful February 2022.
Swathes of eastbound and confederate Ukraine person been destroyed and millions forced from their homes successful the four-year run Moscow hoped would person toppled Kyiv wrong a substance of days.
Russia staged caller deadly attacks connected Friday (June 5, 2026), with Ukrainian authorities saying 4 civilians were killed and 7 wounded successful Russian strikes connected Mykolaivka and Druzhkivka successful the Donetsk region.
‘Some day’
Mr. Zelenskyy says a acme is needed to thrash retired the cardinal issues of a bid deal.
“Unfortunately, the Russian broadside is choosing warfare again — everyone heard today’s response. A anemic response. He simply doesn’t privation to extremity the war,” helium said aft Mr. Putin rejected the call.
His connection had won enactment from cardinal allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Mr. Zelenskyy is to conscionable Macron, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz successful London connected Sunday (June 7, 2026) successful a bid to inject caller momentum into diplomatic efforts.
Mr. Putin said the struggle would lone halt erstwhile Russia’s goals are met.
“Military actions volition extremity immoderate day, we assume. Without a doubt, they volition extremity erstwhile we person achieved the goals we person acceptable for ourselves,” Mr. Putin told the assemblage of concern leaders and visiting dignitaries from Russia’s allies.
The ex-KGB spy besides rejected claims that the Russian system was falling isolated nether the precocious costs of the war.
The Kremlin’s violative has enactment Russia’s finances nether immense strain, with rising prices, taxation hikes and two-decade-high borrowing costs hitting galore citizens hard.
“We, of course, perceive disapproval from each sides that everything has collapsed,” Mr. Putin said.
“We person descended to the aforesaid level astatine which eurozone countries person been surviving done for the past fewer years,” the Russian person said, adding that Russia was pursuing a “sovereign” economy.
Asked by AFP about Russia’s economical woes, Mr. Putin had connected Thursday (June 4, 2026) channelled the US writer Mark Twain.
“Rumours of my decease person been greatly exaggerated,” helium said, rejecting the thought that Russia was connected the brink of a full-blown crisis.
Russian Davos
Mr. Putin spoke conscionable 2 days aft the opening of SPIEF — erstwhile dubbed the “Russian Davos” — was overshadowed by brazen Ukrainian drone strikes connected Saint Petersburg.
Kyiv has intensified its attacks connected Russia’s captious vigor infrastructure — lipid depots, refineries, and exporting hubs — which are threatening to dent Moscow’s astir important income stream.
In the aboriginal years of Mr. Putin’s rule, Western investors keen to marque a subordinate successful Russia’s chaotic and fast-growing system would stitchery astatine the SPIEF to onslaught deals and hobnob with the Russian elite.
Now drones and instrumentality guns are retired connected display.
AFP reporters saw Russian-made humanoid robots walking the venue halls, wherever stands promoting concern into regions annexed from Ukraine were prominent.
The guests included erstwhile Hollywood prima turned Mr. Putin-backer Steven Seagal, American conspiracy theorist Candace Owens, Mr. Trump’s ballroom commissioner and MPs from the far-right Alternative for Germany party.
