Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that there is “no point” in meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, while emphasizing that Moscow is fighting for the health of the economy “as a whole.”

Addressing the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin rejected criticism that the country's economy is under immense strain and running out of steam due to severe sanctions, noting that Russia was pursuing a "sovereign" economy.

Russia Targets Balanced Economic Growth by Next Year 

The Russian President said that economic growth now is “subdued”, describing it as “conscious steps”.

Putin urged the government to fulfill its mandate of restoring sustainable domestic economic growth by next year.

He underlined that reviving economic growth depends on increasing capital expenditure and launching a new investment cycle, which he called the most critical performance metric for economic officials.

“It is vital that this economic growth is balanced, driven by domestic demand and coupled with a further reduction in inflation,” he added.

Putin Rejects Zelenskyy’s Meeting Proposal, Demands Advance Halt 

Yesterday, Zelensky proposed ending the war through direct engagement via an open letter, stating, ”I am proposing a meeting” to end the conflict.

In response to the letter, Putin mentioned that the experts should “develop some solutions, and then we can meet.”

“I see no point in meeting. It only makes sense for the Ukrainian side to stop the advance of our armed forces. That's it. And we need agreements,” he remarked.

Ukraine War Ends Only Once Russia ‘Achieved Goals’

Putin affirmed that the military operation in Ukraine will end “someday”, adding that “Without a doubt, they will end once we have achieved the goals we have set for ourselves.”

Putin highlighted that while Ukraine wants a halt to Russian military advances, concluding the conflict requires adhering to previously discussed compromises.