Putin says Russia and Ukraine must negotiate peace bilaterally, calls Zelenskyy's airspace warning 'state terrorism'
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 3, Vladimir Putin said Russia and Ukraine must negotiate an end to the war directly between themselves, with other countries only supporting, and claimed there is a chance for a peaceful settlement. He described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's warnings that Russian airspace is unsafe for civil aviation as state terrorism that complicates peace talks, and accused Ukraine's Western partners of silence. His comments come a day after Ukraine formally notified the ICAO that Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation.
Key points
- Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that Russia and Ukraine must negotiate an end to the war primarily between themselves, with other countries only supporting.
- Putin said he sees a chance for a peaceful settlement of the war.
- Putin called Zelenskyy's September 1 warning that Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe for civil aviation a form of state terrorism.
- Putin said such actions complicate the conduct of bilateral peace negotiations and accused Ukraine's Western partners of silence, saying those who stay silent become accomplices in international terrorism.
- On September 2, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Ukraine officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation due to increased military activity.
- Moscow airports Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo suspended operations for a second consecutive night following Zelenskyy's warnings.
Why it matters
Putin publicly tied any peace process to direct bilateral Russia–Ukraine talks, sidelining other mediators and signalling Moscow's preferred framework for any settlement.
What happened
At a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 3, Vladimir Putin said Russia and Ukraine must negotiate an end to the war primarily between themselves, with other countries — including the United States and China — only supporting and helping. He said he saw a chance for a peaceful settlement and that Russia maintains contacts with Ukraine, mainly through intelligence services. Putin sharply criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's September 1 statement that Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe for civil aviation, calling the threat state terrorism and saying it complicates bilateral peace talks. He also accused Ukraine's Western partners of silence, saying those who stay silent become accomplices in international terrorism. The remarks followed Ukraine's September 2 official notification, announced by Andriy Sybiha, that it had told the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation. Moscow airports Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo had suspended operations for a second consecutive night after Zelenskyy's warnings.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All ten supplied articles are Ukrainian sources, written in Ukrainian (nine) or Russian (one) and published by Ukrainian media or agencies. They cover Putin's statements primarily through the lens of how they relate to Ukraine's warning that Russian airspace is unsafe, framing Putin's peace rhetoric alongside his escalation — including his characterization of Zelenskyy's warnings as 'state terrorism' and his criticism of Ukraine's Western partners for remaining silent. Several pieces note that contacts with Ukraine continue mainly through intelligence services and question how much they contribute to a settlement given Kyiv's recent statements.
Background
On September 1, Zelenskyy said Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe and warned airlines using it. On September 2, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha officially notified the ICAO that Russian airspace is dangerous for civil aviation; Moscow airports Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo suspended operations for a second consecutive night following the Ukrainian warnings. On September 1, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on the sidelines of a G20 finance ministers meeting and conveyed a call to end the war against Ukraine. CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly flew to Moscow on a secret mission aboard a military aircraft earlier; President Donald Trump said the US is working hard to end the war. In Bishkek, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin the war must end for the sake of humanity and that New Delhi will support peace efforts.