President Volodymyr Zelensky’s open letter offering face-to-face peace talks to end the war in Ukraine was addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin but meant to echo through the corridors of this week’s St Petersburg investment forum, and beyond.
Zelensky published the letter on Thursday evening as Putin briefed foreign news editors at Russia’s premier business event.
The previous day, Ukrainian drones had hit an oil terminal in St Petersburg, sending clouds of smoke billowing into the sky near the venue.
Ukraine believes sections of Russia’s elite – "officials, businessmen, and Russia’s partners” – want to see an end to a conflict that has left its $3tn economy stagnant, according to one Ukrainian official.
The glitzy gathering has highlighted rival visions within Russia.
While some participants have said Russia should fight on and gird for long-term confrontation with the West, others have emphasised the economic advantages of ending a war coming closer by the week.
Zelensky has for months been repeating his call for a ceasefire and offer to meet Putin, only for Putin to dismiss them, as he did again on Friday.
The Ukrainian official insisted that Zelensky was serious about reviving negotiations.
However, Dmytro Iarovyi, associate professor at the Kyiv School of Economics specialising in political psychology, said the drone strike and "performative” letter had been a concerted attempt to shape the conference’s narrative.
He said the letter was intended to tell Russian society and Western governments – particularly US President Donald Trump – that recent territorial gains and painful long-range strikes on Russia had put Kyiv in a stronger position in any negotiations.
"Trump always says ‘Ukraine doesn’t have any cards’,” said Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to the Nato, and Ukraine envoy during Trump’s first administration. "Well, Ukraine is now showing that it’s in a stronger position.” – Reuters