Russia Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, speaks as Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, left, and Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev sit near during a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday, June 5, 2026.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a face-to-face meeting, saying he sees “no point” in it. Speaking Friday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin described Zelenskyy’s open letter proposing the meeting as “boorish.” It was the first public message Zelenskyy has sent directly to Putin since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022 and was a critique of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power as well as taunting him about his age. The 73-year-old Putin pointed at other global leaders who are older, adding that “the main thing is the ability to work.” In an earlier speech, Putin criticized the West's unilateral sanctions.
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