Putin rules out meeting Zelenskyy and vows to pursue war goals

Key points

• Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (June 5, 2026) ruled out meeting his Ukrainian counterpart any time soon, a day after Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a sit-down between the leaders to end the four-year war.
• Speaking at an economic forum in his home city of Saint Petersburg, Mr. Putin said he saw “no point” in meeting Mr. Zelenskyy until a possible peace deal had been agreed.
• Mr. Zelenskyy hit back, saying the Russian leader was “weak” and “choosing war again”.
• Putin also vowed to press on with Russia’s military offensive until its war goals had been achieved.
• Russia has demanded control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region as well as sweeping political and military restrictions on its neighbour.