Putin says he sees "no point" in personal meeting with Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he does not see the point in a personal meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Russian president made the remarks during a plenary session of the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) when responding to a question about whether he would meet with Zelensky.

Zelensky published a letter on Thursday proposing a face-to-face meeting with Putin, with the participation of Europe and the United States, to discuss the peace process.

The Ukrainian president also called for setting a clear date for the meeting and said that Ukraine is prepared to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations.

Putin said he never refused to meet with Zelensky, but is against "beating around the bush."

He said Russia does not need short-term agreements, but rather ones "for a long historical perspective" and solutions in place before such a meeting can take place.

"I have said that I see no point in meeting. The only purpose would be for the Ukrainian side to halt the advance of our armed forces -- that's all. But we need agreements not for half a year or three months, but for a long-term historical perspective. Let the experts do their work, come up with some solutions, and only after that can we meet. As I have said before, when it comes to signing certain documents or even putting anything on paper, a solution must first be found. And that is the most important thing here," Putin said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Zelensky can come to Moscow any time if he wishes to hold talks with Putin.

Putin also said the military operation in Ukraine will come to an end after Russia achieves its set goals.

Regarding the multiple rounds of sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and Europe, Putin said the sanctions have harmed the countries that have imposed them more than Russia, adding that the Russian economy continues to develop despite the conflict and sanctions.

Putin says he sees "no point" in personal meeting with Zelensky

In a vibrant display of national pride, a neighborhood in Sao Paulo has transformed its street into a massive canvas ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, painting the asphalt in the bold green, yellow, blue, and white of the Brazilian flag.

Overtaken with excitement for the upcoming tournament, residents organized the massive art project themselves, raising 2,000 reais (about 387 U.S. dollars) to buy paint, brushes, and colorful streamers.

Aldecir Santos, who designed the patterns on the streets, said he gathered input from neighbors on how the street should be painted. Together, they settled on a plan that everyone agreed was the best.

"We decided together on the designs and where to put them. Those ones over there, and the World Cup trophy -- my son painted those. The Brazilian flag and the World Cup mascot -- a neighbor named Kaua did those. Basically, everyone had a hand in it," he said.

Neighborhood street decorations to welcome the World Cup are a tradition that goes back decades in Brazil. On this street in Sao Paolo, Brazil's largest city, adults encouraged children to take part in the painting, hopeful that the next generation will continue the spirited practice.

Jonathan Costa Ferreira, who was put in charge of buying the decorating supplies, said the local kids often stopped by after school to ask how they could help.

"We all agreed with the neighbors that the kids should be part of this. That way, they'll have memories of the World Cup. They'll learn that it comes around every four years, how much soccer means to us, and how everyone came together to make our neighborhood look so bright and beautiful," he said.

Sao Paolo neighborhood paints street in national colors as World Cup fever builds