Putin rebuffs Zelensky’s call for face-to-face talks, saying there is ‘no point’ | CNN

Russian leader Vladimir Putin rebuffed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for a face-to-face meeting, saying there was “no point.” Zelensky urged Putin to end the countries’ four-year war in an open letter posted Thursday, as the Russian leader was preparing to address the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. But Putin responded with dismissiveness, calling the letter “rude” and voicing skepticism about Zelensky’s true intentions. The Ukrainian president can “come to Moscow” if he wants to talk, a Kremlin spokesperson said. Zelensky’s timing – in the middle of the event where Russian billionaires schmooze with political leaders and decision makers – is no coincidence. The Russian economy is struggling and Zelensky is hoping he can capitalize on rising disquiet among business elites. “We can all see that Russians are finally becoming less comfortable with this reality – with the fact that the war is bringing more and more negative consequences to Russia,” Zelensky wrote in the open letter. “They do not like the fact that there is no end in sight to your war.” The Ukrainian leader said Putin “regularly” postpones deadlines to c