Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (September 3) said he was open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but questioned whether such talks would be meaningful.
“As for a meeting with Zelenskiy I have never ruled out the possibility of such a meeting. But is there any point? Let’s see,” Putin told reporters in Beijing after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Putin added that he was prepared to host Zelensky in Moscow but emphasised that any talks would need careful preparation and tangible outcomes. “I am ready to meet with him, but is there any sense to meet him?” he asked.
Preconditions and proposals
The Russian leader repeated long-standing Kremlin conditions for progress, including the cancellation of martial law in Ukraine, holding elections, and staging a referendum on territorial questions.
Putin yet again argued that Ukraine’s NATO membership remains unacceptable for Moscow. “We are against Ukraine joining NATO,” he declared, saying Russia’s security concerns must also be respected.
“Light at the end of the tunnel”
Despite the ongoing war, Putin suggested that a negotiated settlement was still possible.
“I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily.”
He vowed that Russia would continue fighting if diplomacy failed: “If a peace deal cannot be reached, we will carry on fighting in Ukraine.”
Battlefield claims
Putin claimed that Russian forces were advancing steadily in Ukraine and that Kyiv lacked the reserves to mount a large-scale offensive.
“Ukraine is not capable of conducting a large-scale offensive,” he said. “It means that Ukraine has fewer military reserves. The enemy is trying to plug the holes by regrouping its forces.”
On Trump and US mediation
Putin also commented on US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace, saying, “They also expressed hope that these talks will lead to end of conflict in Ukraine.”
When asked about Trump’s remarks on conspiracies, Putin replied: “Trump has a sense of humour.”
Putin refrained from judging the work of Trump’s envoy, developer Steve Witkoff, saying: “It is not for me to estimate how Trump’s envoy Witkoff is working.”
Criticism of German Chancellor Merz
The Russian leader also fired back at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently branded him “perhaps the most serious war criminal of our time.”
“Merz is unsuccessfully trying to dodge the responsibility of the West for the tragedy of Ukraine,” Putin said, rejecting the accusation.