Zelenskyy confirmed secret talks with Putin via Abramovich
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented for the first time on his meeting in Kyiv with Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, who attempted to act as a private intermediary to convey information between him and Putin.
During the talks, the Ukrainian leader clearly outlined Ukraine’s unwavering position on territorial integrity and conveyed to Putin that there would be no concessions regarding Donbas.
According to the president, the Russian billionaire, who is subject to strict sanctions due to his ties to the Kremlin, personally traveled to the Ukrainian capital and assured him that he had a mandate directly from Putin. Abramovich proposed conveying a message between the leaders quietly and without any publicity, and the main purpose of his visit was to understand what steps Ukraine is prepared to take regarding a peaceful settlement. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the format did not matter to Ukraine, so he agreed to listen to the businessman, but emphasized that Russia would not achieve victory through territorial concessions, and the oligarch himself merely undertook to convey this response to the Kremlin.
This was stated in Zelenskyy’s interview with Sky News.
During his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin confirmed the visit of an unnamed business representative and the proposal to meet from Zelenskyy, but stated that he sees no point in such a personal meeting, as he continues to believe that Russia’s advantage in resources will allow it to achieve its goals.
Zelenskyy published an open letter to Putin—full text.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is allegedly ready for negotiations to end the war against Ukraine, but sees no willingness for dialogue on the Ukrainian side.
Putin is not changing course and continues to finance the war.
