Direct Peace Talks.
Zelenskyy proposes direct talks with Putin to end war, demanding ceasefire amid Ukraine strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a rare open letter to Vladimir Putin proposing a face-to-face meeting to end the war, warning that Ukraine would keep fighting for its “existence” unless Putin personally agrees to stop. Zelensky said a “full ceasefire” should take effect during negotiations, suggested international involvement to monitor and guarantee any agreement, and floated an all-for-all prisoner exchange as an early step. He also urged Ukraine not to wait for shifting U.S. attention amid the Iran crisis, while peace efforts have repeatedly stalled over the key post-war territorial issue. The appeal came as Ukraine carried out strikes deep inside Russia, including near St Petersburg. Putin, speaking at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, said Moscow remains open to diplomacy but indicated fighting could continue while negotiations proceed and that Ukraine would need to accept territorial concessions. Zelensky additionally argued Russian battlefield pressure and public fatigue could eventually force political change.
Key Points
In the letter, Zelensky tied the proposal for talks to Ukraine’s long-range capability, writing that his “long-range drones paid a visit to the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg,” reaching “more than 1,000 kilometers,” and arguing “that distance is not the limit of our capabilities.”
Zelensky argued Russia’s internal pressure could drive leadership change, saying the “majority of Russians had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drones attacks, inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.”
Zelensky specified who could oversee a ceasefire: he said the U.S. “could monitor any ceasefire,” and he added that “Europe must be part of the peace process.”
Ukraine emphasized the diplomacy mechanism in the letter: Zelensky wrote that “It is leaders who resolve the key issues,” urged Putin to “set a clear date” for a face-to-face meeting, and warned Putin to avoid delaying action (“Do not be afraid to take the path out of this war”).
The Kremlin responded to Zelensky’s outreach by saying the Ukrainian leader is “welcome to meet Putin in Moscow ‘any time,’” as reported alongside coverage of the letter.
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