Zelensky Sends Open Letter to Putin, Proposing Direct Meeting to End War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has penned an open letter to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signaling Ukraine's readiness for direct dialogue and proposing a personal meeting to negotiate an end to the ongoing war. The initiative comes as Zelensky highlighted the increasing difficulties Russia faces due to the conflict.

In his letter, Zelensky pointed to a series of challenges confronting Russia, including frequent drone and missile attacks, disruptions to fuel supplies, intensifying restrictions, and speculation about a potential new mobilization campaign. Citing intelligence estimates, he claimed that Russian forces sustained approximately 30,000 killed and seriously wounded in May alone, with similar figures recorded for several consecutive months. Zelensky noted that roughly 63 percent of these losses were fatalities, a ratio he described as highly unfavorable for a modern military.

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Everyone heard your representatives smiling as they said that I could supposedly come to Moscow. But after these 26 years, there is nothing for a Ukrainian leader to do in your capital, just as there is nothing for a Russian leader to do in Kyiv.

The Ukrainian leader reiterated his proposal for a personal meeting with Putin, specifying that it should occur in a neutral country, while explicitly ruling out talks in Moscow. "Everyone heard your representatives smiling as they said that I could supposedly come to Moscow. But after these 26 years, there is nothing for a Ukrainian leader to do in your capital, just as there is nothing for a Russian leader to do in Kyiv," Zelensky wrote, underscoring the dramatic shift in bilateral relations during Putin's tenure.

Zelensky outlined several concrete proposals for a potential peace process. These include setting a specific date for talks, holding them in a third country like Switzerland, Türkiye, or an Arab state, and involving Europe and the United States as guarantors of any agreements. He also suggested establishing a ceasefire along the current front line for the duration of negotiations, monitored with U.S. participation, and implementing an "all-for-all" prisoner exchange. The president concluded by stating that Ukraine would continue to fight if no political resolution is reached.

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Ukraine proposes ending the war in a format between you and us.