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Putin's response to meeting proposal shows he does not want to end war, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's rejection of his proposal for a meeting to end more than four years off conflict showed that the Kremlin had no wish to end the war.
"Unfortunately, the Russian side is once again choosing war – everyone hear the response. A weak response," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. "I think this response will have disappointed many in the world."
Putin held 'friendly one-on-one meeting' with Germany's Schroeder, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a one-on-one meeting with former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, which was "good and friendly," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Friday, as quoted by the Russian news agency Interfax.
Putin says he sees no reason to meet Ukraine's Zelensky after open letter
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he currently saw no reason to meet Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukrainian president published an open letter proposing they hold face-to-face talks to agree an end to a war now in its fifth year.
In his letter, which was sent to other countries, including the United States, Zelensky said the majority of Russians had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, high inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.
Speaking at an annual economic forum where some of Russia's richest businessmen complained about the high interest rates and economic stagnation stemming from the war, Putin said the letter did not come across as a sincere offer to hold talks.
"This letter contains some rather rude remarks. Was it a way to create the conditions for a face-to-face meeting or a way not to set up a face-to-face meeting? I think it was the latter," said Putin.
Putin says Zelensky asked for a meeting
"Zelensky asked for a meeting, but I don't see the reason to meet, we need lasting peace agreements," Valdimir Putin said.
The Russian president conceded that Ukraine's attacks inflict a certain damage to Russia, but that he didn't see a threat to the economy. He adds, "We believe Russia will be attractive to intesmnets."
Putin claims Ukraine does not want Trump administration as peace talk guarantor
Putin says on Zelensky's open letter about talks, "he mentioned my age, but the main thing is not an age, but ability to work."
"I don't understand why Ukraine does not want to see the Trump administration as a guarantor of peace talks" , he added. "I am grateful to Donald, but there is some work to do."
Putin added that he felt it was wrong that Ukraine made talks public and claimed a Russian businessman had met Zelensky in Kyiv.
Macron, Merz and Starmer to meet with Zelensky in London on Sunday
Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Friedrich Merz will meet with Volodymyr Zelensky in London on Sunday to discuss “support for Ukraine” and “stepping up pressure on Russia’s war effort,” the Élysée Palace announced on Friday.
The French president, the British prime minister, and the German chancellor will first hold a trilateral meeting before receiving the Ukrainian president. “This meeting will also provide an opportunity to take stock of the work underway to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and on the European continent, particularly within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing,” the French presidency added in a statement.
Putin speaks on economy at St. Petersburg forum
Around 65% of Russia's export operations are now rouble-denominated, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Speaking at Russia's annual economic forum, Putin also warned that Russia's budget deficit could increase over the course of the year.
All maritime drones jammed by Russia have self-detonated, Romania says
Ukrainian maritime drones, one of which self-detonated in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday morning, were jammed by Russia and they have all self-detonated, Romanian President Nicusor Dan said on social media platform X on Friday.
"None of these drones caused casualties or significant damage", he wrote. "At this time, there is no longer any danger to Romanian citizens or national infrastructure."
A Ukrainian naval drone on a mission in the Black Sea lost control as a result of Russian electronic warfare and drifted towards the Romanian coast, Ukraine said on Friday.
Gas flow from Russia to Europe via TurkStream halted for maintenance until June 10
Gas supplies from Russia to Europe via TurkStream have been suspended due to scheduled maintenance work, data from European gas transmission group ENTSOG and Bulgarian gas network operator, Bulgartransgaz showed.
Scheduled maintenance work will take place from June 2 to June 10 at the Russkaya pumping station and receiving terminals in Turkey, Bulgartransgaz said on its website.
TurkStream is the only Russian gas transit route left to Europe after Ukraine chose not to extend a five-year transit deal with Moscow that expired on January 1, 2025.
Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia are among the countries that receive gas via TurkStream in addition to Turkey.
Romanian defence minister says Ukraine's notification of drifting drone enabled officials to evacuate the area before self-detonation
Romanian officials were able to evacuate people in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta before a maritime drone self-detonated on Friday due to Ukraine's notification, Defence Minister Radu Miruta said.
Miruta said Ukraine had notified Romania about the self-detonating time of the drone.
Russian drone attack in Kyiv kills four, injures seven
A Russian drone attack on a food factory in a region surrounding the Ukrainian capital Kyiv killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Friday. The attack caused a fire at an administrative building on the premises of the enterprise, and parts of its structure have been destroyed, the regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.
"The enemy attacked a peaceful civilian food industry enterprise. People who were simply going about their work at their workplaces at the time," he said on the Telegram messaging app.
Seven other people were injured in the attack and two people could still be under the rubble, Kalashnyk said.
Emergency services said the search and rescue operation continued at the site. They posted pictures of a building with a gaping hole and firefighters dousing flames.
Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kyiv region via REUTERS
Russia says Ukraine breaks IAEA-brokered ceasefire with attack near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Ukraine launched an attack on the area of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Friday,
injuring three people, Russian state nuclear corporation head Alexei Likhachev said, according to Interfax news agency.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it has negotiated a temporary local ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, the sixth since late last year, allowing repairs to a power supply line to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia plant.
Drone incident in Romania proves Russian agression poses threat not only to Ukraine, Ukraine's foreign ministry says
Restrictions on Romanian coast now being lifted, deputy minister says
No other risks were detected for now after a maritime drone exploded in Black Sea port of Constanta earlier in the day and restrictions are now being lifted, Romanian Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat said.
Some parts of Constanta and several beaches on the Black Sea and in the Danube Delta were evacuated earlier as Romanian authorities were surveying the area for more drones, local media reported earlier.
Ukraine says drone was jammed by Russia before drifting to Romania
A Ukrainian naval drone while on a mission in the Black Sea lost control as a result of Russian electronic warfare and drifted towards the Romanian coast, Ukraine's navy has said.
"While carrying out missions in the Black Sea operational area, one of the Ukrainian Navy's unmanned surface vessels came under the influence of the enemy's electronic warfare systems, lost control, and ended up near the coast of Romania," the Ukrainian navy said.
Ukraine contacted the Romanian side to warn them and prevent casualties, it added on Facebook.
Russia and Ukraine swap 185 POWs each
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 185 prisoners of war on Friday, the Russian defence ministry said, in one of the few areas of cooperation between the warring sides.
"On June 5, 185 Russian service members were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In exchange, 185 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over," the ministry was quoted as saying by the state RIA news agency.
Von der Leyen says Russian war against Ukraine is a direct threat to countries on eastern border
Russia's war against Ukraine is becoming a threat for all the countries on the EU's eastern border, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a drone hit Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday.
"Our solidarity with every member state exposed to these threats is absolute," von der Leyen said in a post on X.
EU welcomes Zelensky call for direct talks with Putin
The EU on Friday backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for direct talks in a letter to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"We welcome President Zelensky's call for direct negotiations and also the call for a ceasefire -- and from our side, we will go once more through the facts, and this is that Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace," EU spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said.
Maritime drone part of group of five, says Ukraine
Ukraine has notified Romania that the maritime drone which exploded in the Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday was part of group of five, Constanta county prefect Adrian Teodor Picoiu was quoted saying by news website www.g4media.ro.
Macron says Zelensky's letter to Putin a 'good initiative'
French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Zelensky's appeal for direct talks with Putin, saying it was "time" to resume dialogue with Moscow.
"I believe that it is now up to Ukraine and Russia to establish both a ceasefire and a peace plan. It is the Europeans who can help with this," Macron said at a summit of EU and Balkan leaders in Montenegro.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, Reuters and AFP)
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