'Certain conditions': Putin explains why he won't meet Zelenskyy; says he has nothing against Ukraine president

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday stated that the conditions required for holding direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have not yet been met. His remarks came just hours after Zelenskyy reiterated his willingness for direct talks with the Russian president.

Speaking to reporters at the Kremlin, Putin said that, "I have nothing against it in general, it is possible, but certain conditions must be created for this. But unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions."

Earlier in June, Putin had said he was open to meeting Zelenskyy, but only at the final stage of negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict, which has continued for over three years.

Meanwhile, India is expected to host President Putin later this year. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval confirmed on Thursday that the Russian leader’s visit is likely to take place soon. According to the reports from the Interfax news agency cited by Reuters, the visit is expected to take place by the end of 2025.

In a separate development, the Kremlin has announced that Putin is expected to meet US President Donald Trump as early as next week. The United Arab Emirates is being considered as a possible venue for the meeting, as reported by the Associated Press.