VLADIMIR Putin has accused Europe of trying to “plunge the world into chaos” – with the Russian tyrant ignoring Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer to meet face-to-face.
The despot branded the EU “short- sighted” while slamming the war in the Middle East as well as the ensuing global energy crisis.
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Putin blamed Europe for stirring chaos across the world Credit: EPA
Volodymyr Zelensky Credit: APAImages / Polaris
It comes after the Ukrainian president wrote an open letter to Putin on Thursday – calling for a face-to-face summit to end the war once and for all.
Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday: “European elites are provoking chaos, trying to plunge more and more countries into this chaos.”
The Russian president added: “We see the upheavals that energy markets are experiencing, how tensions are being provoked in certain regions, primarily at this point in time in the Middle East.”
He said “short-sighted policies of the European bureaucracy” were being “implemented, accompanied by aggressive rhetoric”.
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Aftermath of a Russia strike on a school in Sloviansk, Ukraine Credit: Getty Images
A Ukrainian missile fires towards Russian troops Credit: AP
Responding to Zelensky’s offer to meet for a historic in- person summit, Putin said there was “no point” in negotiating with the Ukrainian leader.
He claimed: “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.
“Let the experts work, develop some solutions, and then we can meet.”
It comes after Putin laid down his conditions for any peace process – rejecting the European Union as a mediator and instead pointing to a controversial former European leader as someone he can trust.
Speaking in St Petersburg, Putin said former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could play a role in bridging talks between Russia and Europe.
In Zelensky’s open letter, he noted how Russia is planning to keep up the war into 2027 and 2028, while increasing missile strikes as its ground offensive slows.
He accused Moscow of trying to drag Belarus deeper into the war and destabilise Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region.
The Ukrainian leader said Russia is already under serious strain, pointing to drone attacks inside Russia, economic pressure, fuel shortages and growing mobilisation.
Zelensky claimed Russia suffered more than 30,000 troops killed or wounded in a single month and said Ukraine has video evidence of the losses.
He added Ukraine is still taking losses but said its casualty rate is lower, and called for a ceasefire during talks along with a full prisoner swap.
Zelensky said: “The world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia.”
And he proposed talks in a neutral country such as Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv.
On the battlefield, Ukraine is now in a rare position of momentum, stepping up long-range strikes while Russia continues heavy missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.
Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to end the war quickly but is now also focused on the Iran conflict involving the US and Israel.
It comes after Ukrainian drones struck St Petersburg – Russia’s second largest city – just hours before his major economic forum opened.
Fires ripped through the St Petersburg Oil Terminal, sending huge flames and thick black smoke into the sky.
The nearby Kronstadt naval base was also hit, with reports of damage to ships and military infrastructure.
Zelensky said the strikes were “yielding good results,” claiming the oil terminal, “purely military targets” at Kronstadt, and an arms site in Tambov were hit.
St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov admitted damage, saying “cleanup and recovery operations were underway,” and confirmed several people were injured, but no deaths.
Officials said dozens of drones were shot down, but the city still faced major disruption, including airport delays and diverted flights.
The oil terminal sits just 90 miles from the Estonian border, with NATO member Estonia reportedly putting air defences on alert.
The timing was highly symbolic, coming as Russia hosted its St Petersburg International Economic Forum – often called “Russia’s Davos” – with delegates from 76 countries, including controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan.
But behind the scenes, Russia’s economy is under strain, with rising inflation, growing deficits and interest rates at 14.5 per cent.
