Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reacted sharply to an open letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Vladimir Putin. The letter addressed to Putin, according to Lavrov, was sent around the world, which, in his opinion, is unacceptable and indicates that Kyiv has no intention of negotiating.
- Lavrov said that Zelenskyy's letter had been sent around the world.
- He called such an action unacceptable for «polite people».
- Putin allegedly took the letter as Ukraine's refusal to negotiate.
- The United States was supposed to monitor the ceasefire.
Lavrov's criticism of Zelenskyy's letter
Sergey Lavrov said that the letter from the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, which was addressed to the President of the Russian Federation To Vladimir Putin, was sent not only to him, but also to the whole world. The Russian foreign minister believes that this is not what «polite people» do. According to him, the letter was perceived by the Russian side as a signal of Ukraine's lack of willingness to negotiate.
Putin's response to Zelensky's letter
According to Lavrov, the Russian president discussed in detail the possibility of resuming talks with Ukraine at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Zelensky's letter, According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, this was one of the factors in assessing the situation, and Putin took it as an indication that Ukraine did not need negotiations.
Zelensky's proposals in an open letter
On 4 June, Zelenskyy's open letter to Putin was published on the official website of the President of Ukraine. In it, the Ukrainian leader proposed to end the military conflict «honestly and with dignity», set a date for the talks and hold a face-to-face meeting. Zelenskyy also promised a temporary ceasefire during the talks and suggested that the United States should monitor the truce.
The impact of the letter on the diplomatic process
The public distribution of the letter, which was criticised by Lavrov, caused additional tension between Kyiv and Moscow. The Russian side interpreted this as a signal of Ukraine's unwillingness to engage in dialogue, which could complicate further diplomatic steps.
The openness of the letter and its wide dissemination drew the attention of the international community to the situation around the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire and US participation in monitoring the truce demonstrates Kyiv's desire to find a peaceful solution, despite Russia's negative reaction.
