Zelenskyy urges Putin to hold direct peace talks and proposes face-to-face meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet face-to-face for negotiations aimed at ending the war, marking the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that he has addressed Putin directly in a public letter.
In the message, Zelenskyy criticized Putin’s more than two decades in power and argued that the time had come for direct talks between the two leaders. He said Ukraine could not afford to wait for international circumstances to shift, particularly as the United States has devoted significant attention to the conflict involving Iran.
“I am proposing a meeting,” Zelenskyy wrote, urging Putin to engage in direct discussions and set a specific date for negotiations.
President Donald Trump welcomed the idea of a meeting between the two leaders, saying it would be beneficial if they sat down together to work toward a resolution. Trump said both sides would need to make concessions to end the conflict but declined to provide details about any recommendations he had made.
Zelenskyy’s proposal comes as Ukraine seeks to capitalize on what it sees as a changing battlefield dynamic. Ukrainian forces have increasingly relied on long-range strike capabilities that have complicated Russian military operations, while Russia has intensified missile and drone attacks across Ukraine in an effort to maintain pressure on Kyiv.
The Ukrainian president suggested that any talks should be held in a neutral country rather than in Russia or Ukraine. He identified Switzerland, Turkey and several Arab nations as potential hosts for negotiations.
According to Zelenskyy, major issues can only be resolved through direct engagement between national leaders. He said a face-to-face summit would provide an opportunity to address the most important questions surrounding the war and create a path toward peace.
The letter also included claims that Russian authorities may be preparing for a prolonged conflict extending into 2027 and 2028. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence believes Moscow is increasingly relying on ballistic missile strikes as it seeks to achieve objectives that have proven difficult through ground operations alone.
He further accused Russia of attempting to expand instability beyond Ukraine’s borders. Zelenskyy claimed Moscow is working to deepen Belarus’ involvement in the conflict and is seeking to influence events in Transnistria, the Russian-backed breakaway region of Moldova.
Zelenskyy argued that Russia is facing mounting consequences from the war, citing economic pressures, rising consumer prices, fuel shortages, additional military mobilization efforts and Ukrainian drone strikes reaching deep into Russian territory.
The Ukrainian leader also claimed Russian forces suffered more than 30,000 soldiers killed or seriously wounded during May. He said Ukraine had evidence supporting those figures and maintained that Russian casualties have remained consistently high. At the same time, he acknowledged that Ukrainian forces continue to endure significant losses despite what he described as a more favorable casualty ratio.
As part of his proposal, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would be willing to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations. He also called for an all-for-all prisoner exchange as an initial confidence-building measure and urged Russia to return Ukrainian civilians and children who had been taken from areas affected by the war.
Concluding the letter, Zelenskyy rejected the notion that international support for Ukraine is fading. Instead, he argued that frustration with Russia is growing around the world and suggested that Moscow’s hopes of outlasting global backing for Ukraine have not materialized.
The proposal represents one of Zelenskyy’s most direct diplomatic overtures to Putin since the war began and signals Ukraine’s willingness to pursue negotiations while continuing to press its military and political objectives.
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