In a major and unexpected geopolitical shift aimed at concluding the long-standing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a rare open letter directly addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting to initiate direct peace negotiations. The Kremlin officially confirmed that President Putin received a written copy of the letter late last night and has fully reviewed its contents. The confirmation was made by Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, on the sidelines of the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), according to Russian news agency TASS.
In the open letter, Zelenskyy explicitly wrote, “Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us—me and you. I am proposing a meeting.” He emphasized that the international community should not sit back and wait for the United States to solve European issues, urging that a clear, definitive date be set for the bilateral track. Zelenskyy preemptively ruled out Kyiv or Moscow as suitable venues, suggesting neutral territory such as Switzerland, Türkiye, or countries in the Arab world, which have traditionally hosted leaders to resolve questions of war and peace.
Crucially, Zelenskyy guaranteed that Ukraine is prepared to enforce a comprehensive, full ceasefire along the line of contact for the entire duration of the negotiations. “An attempt to establish real silence is the best way to begin talking to one another. We believe it would not simply be an attempt, but a real ceasefire—if that is what you want,” he stated. Zelenskyy also put forward a proposal for an “all-for-all” prisoner-of-war exchange and demanded serious diplomatic steps for the safe return of civilians and deported children, framing these measures as a necessary prologue to a permanent resolution.
Responding to the development, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow continues to hope for a formal resumption of the negotiation process to break the current diplomatic stalemate. “President Putin has said that if Zelenskyy wants to talk, he can come to Moscow and do so at any time,” Peskov noted, while acknowledging that the conflict remains deeply complex and a comprehensive settlement would require resolving intricate security guarantees. Peskov also mentioned that the topic of Zelenskyy’s open letter is highly likely to be brought up during Putin’s upcoming plenary session at SPIEF, where reactions from various world leaders are being briefed.
