Kremlin declines to reveal Putin’s reaction to Zelensky’s letter

Lead

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin received and read the open letter that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published this week, but declined to disclose Putin's reaction. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Peskov said Putin had also been informed about the reactions of world leaders to the letter, but would not elaborate on his own assessment.

"I will not preempt events," Peskov said when asked about Putin's response, according to TASS. He suggested the topic might come up at the forum's plenary session attended by Putin.

Zelensky's letter, published on his website earlier this week, invited Putin to meet in a third country to end the conflict. Putin has since said he does not see the point in such a meeting at this time, and noted the presence of "rude elements" in the letter.

Coverage comparison

Russian state news agency TASS provided extensive coverage of the letter, focusing on reactions from Kremlin officials and other Russian political figures. All extracts examined came from TASS, so this article reflects only that outlet's reporting. No independent or Western sources were included in the materials.

Multiple TASS articles confirmed that Peskov acknowledged Putin had received and read the letter, though the spokesman did not say how the president reacted. Some reports highlighted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's dismissive comments, while others featured criticism from former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov and Russian parliamentarians.

Key claims

• Peskov confirmed that Putin received and read Zelensky's open letter, saying "we already handed over a written copy late last night." He also said Putin was "informed about the different reactions of world leaders."
• Peskov declined to disclose Putin's personal reaction, saying only that he would not "preempt events."
• In a separate statement, Peskov said the letter was handed over to Putin "in due order," adding that "we bureaucrats do things in due order."
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia had not received the letter through diplomatic channels, calling the situation "nonsense" and comparing it to French President Emmanuel Macron's earlier suggestion of meeting with Putin.
• Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov described the letter as "a few rude pages" and reiterated that Russia's position remains unchanged. "If Zelensky wants to, he can come to Russia," Ushakov said. "We are ready to talk to him in Moscow."
• Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov told TASS that the letter is "a PR and propaganda stunt" that contains no concrete proposals and uses language unacceptable for diplomatic negotiations.
• Russian upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko said Zelensky should cancel his instructions banning talks with Russia before addressing the president. "Now that he is writing letters to our president, he should have written at the beginning of his letter, 'I cancel my order prohibiting negotiations with you,'" she said.

Perspectives

Kremlin view: Peskov's cautious approach suggests the Kremlin is carefully managing the narrative around the letter, neither fully dismissing nor embracing it. Ushakov's and Lavrov's comments reflect a stance of rhetorical readiness to talk while insisting on Moscow's terms.

Russian political commentary: Several figures, including Azarov and State Duma member Roza Chemeris, framed the letter as an attempt by Zelensky to regain media attention or as a PR move for Western audiences. Sergey Mironov of the Just Russia party called it "posturing" and suggested Zelensky is worried about losing power.

German media analysis: The German newspaper Junge Welt, as cited by TASS, argued that the proposals are "hardly acceptable" to Moscow and appear aimed at generating a propaganda effect, though it suggested Russia might agree to US participation in future negotiations.

Context and notes

This article relies exclusively on TASS reporting. Independent verification of the letter's contents or the reactions described was not possible within the provided material. The letter itself was not reproduced in the extracts.