MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has sharply responded to a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which he claims he only skimmed over during Friday morning. In response to the letter's content, Putin questioned Zelenskyy's legitimacy and stated that the Ukrainian president should not fear elections if he is confident in the support of the population.

"I would advise him not to be afraid of going to elections, but rather to stop seizing power for himself," Putin said. According to the Russian president, the letter contained not only a request for possible talks but also passages he described as "impudent" and "arrogant." Putin simultaneously suggested that there is no reason for a personal meeting with Zelenskyy in the current situation. He believes such talks would only make sense if there were concrete proposals for resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in advance. "First, a concrete solution to settle the conflict must be found. Only then can we speak about meetings at the highest level," the Russian president declared.

Kyiv's Criticism and Accusations of Attacks on Civilians

During his speech, Vladimir Putin also accused the Ukrainian leadership of continuing attacks that, in his view, target civilian objectives. He referred to a recent incident in Starobilsk, which he labeled a serious crime. "Kyiv is asking for a meeting, yet it is committing terrible crimes. Such actions certainly do not strengthen trust," he said. The Russian leadership has long maintained that the Ukrainian army attacks civilian infrastructure in areas controlled by Moscow. Kyiv, in turn, repeatedly denies accusations of intentional attacks on civilians and emphasizes that its military operations are directed against military targets.

Sanctions Harm the West, According to Putin

A significant portion of the president's speech also addressed the economic situation and Western sanctions against Russia. Putin reiterated his long-held view that the sanctions policy is not yielding the expected results and largely affects the countries implementing them. "Sanctions harm those who impose them. They froze $300 billion for us, but we now have foreign exchange reserves of $500 billion," the president said. According to the Kremlin, the Russian economy has managed to adapt to new conditions despite unprecedented restrictions. Western countries, on the other hand, argue that sanctions gradually weaken Russia's ability to fund long-term military operations and limit access to modern technologies.

Conflict Will End After Russia Achieves Its Goals

In the conclusion of his speech, Putin also commented on the future of the conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized that, in his view, the fighting will eventually end, but only under the condition that the Russian Federation achieves the goals it set at the outset of the military operation. "The combat operations will eventually end, and they will end when the Russian Federation achieves the goals it set," Putin declared. His words suggest that Moscow currently has no intention of backing down from its strategic demands and continues to regard achieving its declared goals as a fundamental condition for ending the conflict.

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