Zelenskyy dismisses Putin’s 'historical s---' in peace talks as ‘delay tactic,’ urges focus on ending the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy connected Thursday dismissed what helium described arsenic Vladimir Putin’s "historical s—," saying helium has nary involvement successful debating the past and wants bid talks focused squarely connected ending the war.

In a pointed station connected X, Zelenskyy described Russia's humanities arguments arsenic a "delay tactic," accusing Moscow of utilizing them to stall meaningful negotiations. He argued the lone contented worthy discussing with Putin is however to bring the warfare to a swift and palmy end.

Putin has agelong made claims astir the past of Ukraine and Russia, including a 2021 portion helium wrote that discussed his presumption that "Russians and Ukrainians were 1 people" and that the 2 countries are "essentially the aforesaid humanities and spiritual space." Zelenskyy said debates astir past volition not execute the extremity of reaching peace, and volition lone prolong the process of reaching a resolution.

"I person been to Russia – to galore cities. And I knew a batch of radical there. He [Putin] has ne'er been to Ukraine this galore times. He was lone successful large cities. I went to tiny cities. From the bluish portion to the confederate part. Everywhere. I cognize their mentality. That's wherefore I don't privation to suffer clip connected each these things," Zelenskyy wrote.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy person some met separately with President Donald Trump. Despite a bid woody statement being close, territorial disputes remain, Zelenskyy said.   (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP; Christian Bruna/Getty)

The remarks came aft different circular of trilateral talks betwixt Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian officials successful Switzerland; meetings the Ukrainian president suggested helium had produced constricted progress.

"As of today, we cannot accidental that the result of the meetings successful Geneva is sufficient," Zelenskyy explained, saying that portion subject representatives had discussed definite issues "seriously and substantively," delicate governmental matters, imaginable compromises and a imaginable gathering betwixt leaders person not yet been adequately worked through.

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A Ukrainian delegation (right) and Russian delegation (left) hold for the commencement of a gathering connected the archetypal time of the 3rd circular of trilateral talks betwixt delegates from Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. successful Geneva, Switzerland, connected Feb. 17, 2026. (Press Service Of The National Security And Defence Council Of Ukraine/Handout via Reuters)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte questioned astatine the Munich Security Conference past week whether Russia is superior astir negotiations, noting that Moscow again sent statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky, who has antecedently emphasized humanities narratives successful talks, to pb discussions successful Geneva.

Medinsky characterized the 2 days of negotiations arsenic "difficult but businesslike," according to a translation of his remarks from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

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Russia's main negotiator Vladimir Medinsky leaves aft a 2nd circular of U.S.-mediated talks betwixt Russia and Ukraine successful Geneva connected Feb. 18, 2026. (Harold Cunningham/AFP via Getty Images)

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NBC News reported that Medinsky, who has served arsenic a Kremlin adjutant since 2020, is regarded arsenic a adjacent Putin state whose views connected Ukrainian past intimately align with the Russian president’s.

"It would look evident to anyone acquainted with past astatine the superior schoolhouse level: Russians and Ukrainians are historically — 1 people," helium wrote successful a November op-ed for the Russian paper Komsomolskaya Pravda.