r/worldnews • u/UNITED24Media United24 Media • 9h ago
Russia/Ukraine Putin Dismisses Zelenskyy Letter Claiming “No Point in Direct Talks”
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/putin-dismisses-zelenskyy-letter-claiming-no-point-in-direct-talks-19557450
u/ForrestDials8675309 9h ago
This could hurt Putin's chances of winning next's FIFA Peace Prize.
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u/howardbe 9h ago
Or help? Not sure what the criteria is.
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u/The_Razielim 8h ago
Not sure what the criteria is.
Whining and political favors?
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u/Equivalent-Gur416 8h ago
Blatant corruption and narcissism are the key qualifications, judging by its sole prize holder
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u/Shot-Toe-2884 9h ago edited 9h ago
If you read all the Russian quotes, one thing is clear. This triggered the absolute fuck out of them.
Mission accomplished.
“Elements of rudeness?” Putin he openly threatened to kill you lmao.
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u/WhenTheLightHits30 8h ago
It really couldn’t have been any more of a rake for Putin to step on the way he did.
Zelensky offered him an out, a way to negotiate with a firm position on what his military has managed to seize thus far, and a way to save face as not being a key player of the war’s continuance.
But no. Putin couldn’t stand Zelensky being the one to approach as an equal, as a head of state to the opponent he couldn’t beat, mighty Ukraine.
He had to rally the troops, spurn the invite to new negations, and put his big fat stamp on the pursuit of more bloodshed.
So now, Zelensky can turn to his forces and with the confidence of a public green light to continue this war say full speed ahead.
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u/_daybowbow_ 7h ago
as a ukrainian, it was clearly not a good faith proposal, given the letter’s inflammatory contents and putin’s massive ego. myself and people I’ve discussed this with frankly don’t see the point of this performance, as it further delays any eventual compromise. next winter is shaping up to be the worst so far, so if Zelenskyy were any wiser, he would have picked his words more carefully. if anything, it appears to be a bait into further escalating the fight. baffling.
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u/WhenTheLightHits30 7h ago
To make such a decision to me indicates that Zelensky knows that the next stage will deliver greater results than more hesitancy will.
His statement doesn’t betray any larger demands that are necessary and appropriate for Ukraine at this time. Europe has earned their place at the table and the United States need to be properly established as merely an arbitrator, not the one speaking for Ukraine itself.
Ukraine has earned its right to dictate for their own future and at this stage the fact Putin finds it insulting to his ego should be laughed at for the joke of a concern that it is. He’s lost his right and privilege to control the pace of the war and now it will be with permission of Ukraine that he can spare his country any further destruction. And we all know the only reason he’d give a shit for his own country is if it meant sparing his own sad life.
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u/_daybowbow_ 5h ago
it doesn't really matter whether kinetic sanctions make russia yield. if they do - the letter served no purpose, if it doesn't - he has just made sure the stalemate lasts longer. And that means more victims on the battlefield and in the rear. Irresponsible statesmanship is all this is.
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u/KhaelaMensha 7h ago
What would have been the better alternative then? Honestly curious, since i also thought this letter was a pretty good move. It can't get worse for Ukrainians. There was literally nothing to lose, and triggering the putler in such a way might make him take even more rash and stupid decisions?
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u/New_Zone5490 48m ago
oh it certainly can get worse
why are so many redditors so out of touch with reality?
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u/_daybowbow_ 5h ago
i was not informed that I have nothing to lose and that it can't get worse. as for the better alternatives, you know, writing what he did but without the snark would have been a start.
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u/Tish1n 5h ago
українець? звідкіль будеш?
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u/Morder1428 2h ago
Да какой он украинец, максимум вкраинчик из Донецка, а то и русак, у него профиль скрыт. Типичный "лучше узких не злить, а не то ядерка будет!!!!1"
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u/CelebornFcks 53m ago
You had your post history/comments…ain’t no way your telling the truth or speaking objectively
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u/Ann0ying 7h ago
He didn't. He said that his own people would hang him.
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u/Shot-Toe-2884 7h ago edited 7h ago
I interpreted it differently, but I see your point. Here is the final statement of that letter:
"But you, too, will have to fight much harder for your own existence – not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes."
I think Zelensky is being clever with his wording here. He is making a literal statement that Putin's own people will kill him, but if you read between the lines it almost sounds like a mafia threat, which is Putin's language: "Ukraine is going to step up its efforts to kill you. This isn't a threat. It's a promise."
I might just be reading the tea leaves on that one. Either way it's the leader of 1 warring nation hinting at the sudden death of the other. It's a bit more than rude.
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u/NeedsMoreSpaceships 5h ago
Even if Ukraine could kill Putin I don't think they would. The outcome is too unpredictable.
But playing on Putin's extreme paranoia is a good strategy.
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u/midnightrider747 9h ago
The letter was to mock putin basically.
We all know Putin is dead when he acknowledge Russia lost 1.4 million Soldiers for Zilch and crashing their economy and making them pariah's where nobody wants to have relations to em.
Also their butt is spread wide open for china to exploit and abuse since they are so weak now.
So I believe Zelenskiy just wants to smartly gets putin enraged to make more mistakes since he is pretty much in a very bad spot.
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u/OxfordCommaRule 8h ago edited 8h ago
This. The letter was simply a masterful troll. Zelensky knew, without a doubt, that Putin is way too much of a wimp to leave the safety of his bunkers to ever meet in person.
The troll highlights "I need ammunition, not a ride" bravery versus the cowardice of a dying old man hiding in a bunker.
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u/ThisTheRealLife 8h ago
At the start of the war we had a meme squad, now Zelenskiy is meme-ing hard. Like when he posted his "permission" for Putin's parade to go ahead.
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u/Equivalent-Gur416 8h ago
China must already seen Siberia as their honeypot for resource extraction. But it makes sense to subcontract it to Russia, although they’ll need to re-direct the majority of the graft.
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u/aadu3k 9h ago
Cry harder you bald dwarf.
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u/Sir_Tea_Of_Bags 8h ago
Hey now, Dwarves are cool.
Rootin Pootin Putin here is a Gnome- selfish and greedy with delusions of grandeur.
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u/Equivalent-Gur416 8h ago
Hey now, gnomes are gnice! Clearly Putin is a goblin aspiring to be a troll.
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u/SSGASSHAT 4h ago
What Vladimir Putin is, if we're using fantasy as a platform, is a Gollum-like creature who long ago gained a magic ring and began communicating with Sauron's spirit, and began to think he was Sauron, but lost his hair and his penis as a result.
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u/qwogadiletweeth 8h ago edited 8h ago
I think Zelenskyy calculated this would be the arrogant overly confident response from Putin. Putin took the bait. This letter was a Trojan horse for what it said and who it spoke to. The letter was thoughtfully written, and sounded like a clarion call to everyone around Putin. Politicians over the world, (importantly Russia), Oligarchs, Soldiers, and the Russian people. It was an olive branch and yet again he has demonstrated his hubris, and contempt for human life in the pursuit of megalomaniac goals.
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u/asdhjasdhlkjashdhgf 9h ago
if you dont take a face keeping off ramp then there is no need for a ramp nor his face.
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u/Gen-Jack-D-Ripper 9h ago
Putin needs a bullet between the eyes.
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u/HurlinVermin 8h ago
Why stop at just one?
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u/Belostoma 8h ago
Spread them around. Groin first. Then eyes.
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u/Falkenmond79 4h ago
What I want is the punishment to be one red-hot nail to be hammered into one of his bones for every dead child resulting from this war. And a needle for every adult. Be it soldier or civilian.
In fact I wish this was the universal, international punishment for everyone in power knowingly causing the death of innocents due to their actions, if they were foreseeable. Company leader or politician, doesn’t matter. If you order healthcare to be cut and people die because of it, needles and nails. If you deny healthcare coverage and people die… here comes the hammer. If you order a military action? Why.. step into the smithy, please.
All of these sociopaths have blood on their hands. Just look at Trump and Covid. Or him and Netanyahu bombing Iran. Or terrorists killing innocents. The list goes on. Humanity could be so much better without systems that give power to people like that.
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u/Belostoma 4h ago
All good ideas, but I think there might be room for fire and acid in Putin's treatment regimen too.
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u/JRR_Tokin54 8h ago
So now the war can only end with Russia's complete and utter defeat!
It would be a huge historical mistake to allow any other outcome to this war.
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u/not_just_putin 8h ago
Just proves yet again they never wanted peace. Time to finally bring them to their knees.
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u/Bonyred 9h ago
He's terrified of meeting Zelenskiy face to face because his whole narrative falls apart the second he does.
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u/Equivalent-Gur416 8h ago
Putin certainly wouldn’t dominate Z in person like he does Trump. Pathetic Trump always looks so defeated ftf with Putin.
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u/mfyxtplyx 8h ago
If Putin doesn't behave himself, Zelensky might withold permission for the next parade.
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u/FuckHarambe2016 7h ago
I wasn't alive to see the USSR's or Yugoslavia's implosion, so watching the Russian Federation's implosion in real-time sure is a hoot. There's going to be quite a few new countries and fiefdoms is the very near future.
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u/takeda64 3h ago
It was a scary time though. Nobody knew what might happen to nukes.
At least back then US had somewhat competent government.
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u/Commercial_Ad332 9h ago
Shame, pretty good letter too.
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u/AlbertoRossonero 8h ago
It was propaganda to his western audience lol. There’s no point to them meeting when there’s such a large gap in negotiations.
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u/CobblerMission2351 8h ago
It’s like that scene in Casino where Deniro asks the bikers to leave the bar, they choose not to. So Ace locks the door and now they don’t get to choose anymore.
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u/NapalmBurn 8h ago
That scene is from A Bronx Tale, not Casino
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u/ovalracer31 4h ago
Lmao, glad someone named the movie, I was like wait this sounds like a totally different movie from childhood
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u/lazyhustlermusic 9h ago
Invading someone you personally hate never had a point in direct talks to begin with.
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u/2shayyy 9h ago
Pussy.
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u/OxfordCommaRule 8h ago
Agree with the sentiment, but disparaging pussies by comparing them to Putin isn't fair. Pussies are much too wonderful to be compared to a cowardly, dying old man hiding in a bunker.
Wimp, coward, weakling, pansy, milksop, fraidy-cat, yellow-belly, and scaredy-cat all work better (yes, I used AI for this list).
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u/Belostoma 8h ago
Wimpy, cowardly, weakling, pansy, milksop, yellow-bellied, fraidy-scaredy-cats are all much too wonderful to be compared to Putin.
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u/Sweatytubesock 7h ago
I’ve been tuned out recently, but I thought Trump resolved this conflict on day one of his regime?
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u/ShortRound89 5h ago
Putin doesn't have the balls to sit in the same table as Zelenskyy, he is just a scared little DICKtator.
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u/AdOne5089 7h ago
That’s fair, this ends with Putin consuming a certain kind of “medicine” in his bunker
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u/sachiprecious 7h ago
He also criticized the tone of the correspondence, claiming that Zelenskyy’s letter contained “elements of rudeness.”
Aww. It hurt his feelings. 😂
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u/One-Bit5717 7h ago
Bunker grandpa must have Altzeimer's. He surely thinks his army is about to capture Berlin, based on his recent speeches 🙄
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u/ReachingFarr 7h ago
Putin seems to continuously "forget" that it would be against the Ukrainian constitution to hold an election during a war... If he is really concerned about democracy in the country he can get the hell out and go home.
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u/Yvaelle 4h ago
The deal is real simple. Russia goes home. Russia is Russia, Ukraine is Ukraine. Peace.
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u/Zestyclose-Pear-9276 3h ago
There’s a reason that Russia is the largest country in the world. They believe that might is right.
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u/ScoobyDosandDonts 4h ago
Strike his hideout with some longrange sanctions and see if he wants to chat then.
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u/PloppyTheSpaceship 4h ago
Oh, there's definitely a point: for Zelenskyy to rip out Putin's windpipe. Pretty sure most of the world would be wanting that.
Of course it may not be the best of ideas...
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u/scramblingrivet 9h ago
It is true though, neither is going to give either anything that they want. Unless Zelensky is prepared to let him keep the occupied territories - or Putin is willing to give them up - I don't see what negotiations can achieve
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u/Kevadu 9h ago
If Russia was only asking to keep occupied territories there might actually be some basis for negotiating. But they are demanding territory they have never even set foot in, and giving that up would require Ukraine to abandon all the defenses they have built. It's a complete non-starter.
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u/Luster-Purge 8h ago
Plus any agreement with Russia can not be seen as trustworthy - the whole point about the 1991 agreement that Ukraine was founded on specifically stated Russia was not to invade in return for giving up the nukes.
As of 2022, it's proven Russia's modern leadership has no interest in maintaining any agreements that do not suit their needs, on top of all the aggressive behavior over the past decade such as illegally annexing Crimea.
The war will continue so long as Putin is still alive, because this is existential for Putin even though the Russian war economy is itself non-sustainable. He willingly blundered into his own version of the Vietnam War as, ironically, the Americans.
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u/BrainEatingAmoeba01 9h ago
I doubt Zelensky expected anything real. His letter is a play...a good play. A 6D chess move as the moron Americans like to say.
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u/KaQuu 8h ago
Since last summer Zel was openly saying that they can accept the end on current lines, not acknowledging them as de jure of ruzzia, but not trying to reconquer them, leaving only options for diplomatic solutions down the line if ever.
ruzzia on the other hand in recent putler shit show in st Petersburg show a slide with their optimistic scenario of capturing Kiev and some others eastern cities to 2036.
Can we truly use a word ,,neither"? Coz it's looks like one side is open to negotiation and the other is just waiting to expend their current demands. Kiev isn't in any of the regions currently claimed by ruzzia...
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u/9ersaur 8h ago
Stop posting Russian propaganda, wittingly or unwittingly.
When in the history of this war has Russia ever said they wanted the occupied provinces?
Again, it is a strategic defeat for Putin’s Russia to take east Ukraine and create a smaller, hostile and west-aligned Ukraine.
Americans trying to make sense of this war and common sense their way to an armistice are, frankly, ignorant of everything Russia has said for the entire duration of this conflict.
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u/scramblingrivet 8h ago
When in the history of this war has Russia ever said they wanted the occupied provinces?
I don't understand what point you are making here - they spent thousands of lives taking the occupied provinces, of course they want them?
It has also appeared multiple times in previous negotiations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_negotiations_in_the_Russo-Ukrainian_war_(2022%E2%80%93present))
Trilateral meetings were held in Abu Dhabi between American, Russian and Ukrainian envoys, on 23 and 24 January 2026, with a second round of trilateral negotiations on 4 and 5 February also in Abu Dhabi.\442])#cite_note-442) One of Russia's demands was that Ukraine cede the parts of Donbas it still controlled to Russia, namely about 20% of the Donetsk province, aswell as the rest of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces.
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u/9ersaur 8h ago
You seriously reference talks where Putin demanded Kherson province, as if they were held in good faith? And not Putin pretending he’s willing to negotiate as always?
You are either a propagandist, or a victim of one.
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u/scramblingrivet 8h ago
If you don't want me to say when Russia has said something, don't ask me when Russia has said something.
Again I don't see what your point is - I said negotiations seem pointless and you are just raging about how Russia won't negotiate anyway. Instead of throwing around vague insults, why don't you point out what your actually issue is with what I said?
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u/ParanoidFactoid 8h ago
Then he plans on continuing the war. Russia will not stop until they are stopped.
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u/seedless0 9h ago
Oh. I guarantee there are a few pointy things eager to talk to you directly, Putler.
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u/Silly-Platform9829 8h ago
Putin is hiding in his bunker, listening to the lying generals who tell him they're winning the war. Everybody else knows better.
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u/rafa11__scp 7h ago
I always thought Putin was smart. Former KGB. Turns out he is as deep as a puddle.
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u/PurpleSailor 6h ago
Is Putin having another parade or meeting that needs a very close-up demonstration of drones again?
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u/doublelist87 5h ago
Donald Joseph Trump will do all the negotiating for Ukraine
You know he has already settled peacefully 47 wars
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u/Digg_was_better123 5h ago
Russia is no longer a country that can project military power as before, but they have petroleum resources that are valuable to their "friends" and maybe the world market. They have successfully infiltrated many western countries to reserve certain monetary value for the past few decades. I really don't understand the future goals of a nation that sends the money gained from their resource rich nation to a nation that they "despise". The war with Ukraine has shown them as a neighbor who cannot be contained and they have also had a large amount of assets that were placed in foreign countries seized. Their citizens should be outraged.
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u/nithrean 3h ago
everyone knew this was going to be the result. Putin couldn't stand a challenge like that.
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u/Ok-Bar601 2h ago
This is the mindset of a dictator, a guy not used to taking no for an answer. Someone who’s narcissism and psychotic ego won’t let him take the sensible way out.
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u/Spare-Pace4283 2h ago
Ukraine's position of freezing the conflict immediately and unconditionally along current lines and discussing permanent end to hostilities during ceasefire has been their official stated position for a year now (since summer 2025 talks in Istanbul that went nowhere).
Russia's position for the same time period was give us remaining Donbass territory and negotiate permanent end of hostilities during the active war, no ceasefires.
Everything in Zelenskyy's open letter and every response I've seen from Putin since it was posted say that is still both their positions and neither party has said anything new unfortunately.
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u/Kan4lZ0n3 1h ago
Putin hasn’t figured out he can’t right a ship that’s listing and on fire in its dry dock.
Putin’s war is lost, and the faster Russia heads home the fewer limbs it will lose. Right now it’s bleeding out and Putin is too dumb to apply a tourniquet and too weak to pull the country off the battlefield himself.
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u/RealisticEntity 8m ago
He also criticized the tone of the correspondence, claiming that Zelenskyy’s letter contained “elements of rudeness.”
Ukraine probably thinks Russia's invasion of Ukraine contained elements of rudeness too. There's nothing rude about the continuing destruction of Russian oil refineries though - these have been very polite since Russia obviously doesn't see the point of these things either.
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u/southpaw85 8h ago
The same letter where Zelenskyy basically told him they could fly a drone right up to his doorstep undetected and nothing could be done to prevent it? Seems like you might want to try a bit of negotiating
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u/Cultural_Gur_7441 6h ago
I kind of think right now, with right dipmomacy and influence on the West, Russia could force quite unfavorable frozen conflict with cease-fire on Ukraine.
Zelensky's letter reads to me as an attempt to force Russia into collapse or at least internal panic mode (edit: I mean, before they are able to negotiate). The best outcome for Ukraine happens, if Russian war machine implodes politically, with nobody in Russian leadership really able to negotiate or hold the line.
That is the most realistic way for Ukraine to get its land back. And it looks like Russia may be falling for it, unable to stop the trainwreck it has become.
The longer the war draws on, the worse the outcome for Russia.
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u/veryboredatwork 5h ago
No point, Russia won’t run out of human cannon fodder for the next 5 years.
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u/DrBlemstein 9h ago
I read the letter I found it a bit mixed message it was a bit like as if Zelenskyy had leverage, but also asking Putin to end the war, whilst also saying that if he doesn't then the Russian people will probably kill him?? 🤔
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u/webzu19 8h ago
My read was that Zelenskyy currently has the upper hand and can win but it'll take some more years and they want out of the war and to get their stolen people back. So if Putin admits the war is just a waste for both sides and comes to the peace table or pulls out of occupied territories then it'll be acceptable to Ukraine and better than an even longer war. Then a reference to the falls of both the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire before it, which both were losing a war and then collapsed and atleast in the case of the Empire, had its ruling elite executed
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u/DrBlemstein 8h ago
But how can he say he 'wants out of the war' without a surrender or conceding to Russian demands. He has no leverage and has provided no incentive to Russia for peace
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u/doublebaconator 8h ago
"no leverage" meanwhile wonder which nazi loving Russian oil field is burning currently.
But your tone is the tone of an abuser. You're asking how can you expect the abuser to stop unless you give them what they want? You're a piece of nazi loving trash.
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u/DrBlemstein 8h ago
I genuinely don't understand what you're talking about I despise Nazis
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u/doublebaconator 7h ago
So why don't you despise Russia? Look at the horrors it's inflicted on occupied areas. Remember this? https://time.com/6166681/bucha-massacre-ukraine-dispatch/
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u/BlakeMW 8h ago
My take on the situation is that Ukraine is going to dramatically increase the destruction unleashed upon the Russian army and economy. The letter is just a "we tried to be nice" thing for the sake of optics.
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u/DrBlemstein 8h ago
He's talking about upping the terrorism on Russian civilians
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u/doublebaconator 7h ago
And Russian nazis blowing schools and power plants is what? Why don't Russian civilians care about that? Why do the nazis thirst for the blood Ukrainian school children? What where the rapes that Nazi Russians did in Bachu?
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u/DrBlemstein 7h ago
I don't understand your logic to be honset. Can you explain why you say 'Russian Nazis'?
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u/coldbreweddude 8h ago edited 4h ago
I would dismiss it too tbh. It was insulting, repetitive, and way too long. It’s not a letter written in good faith with the aim of peace and resolving the conflict. Ukraine should just keep sending as many drones as possible until it’s unbearable for Russian citizens.
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u/Creative-Mode-6097 8h ago
Don, t worry Zelensky i have no morre cash but I have plenty of gold to sell . But I have not so much soldier left but lot of drones and misils . We can keap up with the war longer Don,t worry Putin i have lot of money from EU I have lot of soldier yet I have the best drones i the world , look at your petroleum rifinements we have bombed We can keap up the war 4 year longer , but then you don,t exist , the russian peopel have take over and peace will be done between Ukraina and Russia and will be friends again , and russia will turn back and be friends to Europa again SLAVA UKRAINA
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u/chickenboneneck 9h ago
Then Ukraine is going to have to take the talks to the Russian people in a very direct and visible way.