Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday described the reaction to his open letter addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week as a 'weak' one. 'Unfortunately, the Russian side once again chooses war - everyone heard the response today. Weak response,' Zelenskyy said in an evening video address posted on US social media company X.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy accused his Russian counterpart of not seeking to end the ongoing Ukraine war, stating that he believes many around the world were disappointed by Putin's response to his open letter. The Ukrainian president's remarks came amidst Putin's address at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), where he expressed his current lack of interest in meeting with Zelenskyy.

During the plenary session of SPIEF earlier Friday, Putin criticized the open letter addressed to him for containing 'elements of rudeness,' questioning whether it was a genuine attempt to foster conditions for negotiations. He stated, 'Is this a way to create conditions for personal meetings and negotiations, or is it creating an environment in which any personal meetings are truly impossible? I think it's the latter.'

When asked about the possibility of a meeting with Zelenskyy, Putin expressed that he does not 'see the point in meeting,' asserting that the 'only point for the Ukrainian side is to stop the advance of our Armed Forces, that's all.' In an open letter published Thursday, Zelenskyy had called for direct talks with Putin and indicated Ukraine's willingness to observe a ceasefire during negotiations, among other matters.