Zelenskyy proposes face-to-face meeting with Putin to end war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter published Thursday, calling for direct engagement to end the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

"Ukraine proposes to end this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting," Zelenskyy wrote in the letter, one of the few times he has publicly addressed Putin directly since the invasion began. The letter was published on the Ukrainian presidency's website.

Zelenskyy offered a total ceasefire during peace negotiations and suggested neutral third countries as meeting venues, specifically naming Switzerland, Turkey, and countries of the Arab world. He stated he does not consider Moscow or Kyiv suitable locations for talks. "Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations," he added.

In the letter, Zelenskyy emphasized that leaders resolve principal issues and called for setting a clear date for the meeting. He acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, noting it would be wrong to wait for the Trump administration to return its attention to ending the European war while focused on Iran. "We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention," he wrote.

Zelenskyy warned that if Putin did not personally conclude it was time to end the war, Ukraine would "continue fighting for its existence." He also stated that Russians are increasingly tired of the conflict and that the time to end it is now.

The Kremlin responded through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, saying Putin had not yet seen the letter but that Zelenskyy could meet with him "at any moment" in Moscow. This response contrasted with Zelenskyy's stated preference for neutral ground.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented from Washington that a meeting between the two leaders would be "fantastic" and stressed that both Russia and Ukraine would need to "make compromises."

Peace negotiations have remained stalled. Ukraine regularly attacks Russia and Moscow-occupied territories in retaliation for daily Russian bombardments. The conflict is described as the deadliest in Europe since World War II.

The letter comes as Putin addressed heads of international news agencies at the St. Petersburg economic forum on Thursday. Putin stated Russia still holds the upper hand militarily and said he remained ready for a peaceful solution based on agreements reached in August 2025 in Alaska.

On the same day, Ukrainian drones struck a petroleum terminal in Saint Petersburg ahead of the economic forum. Ukraine also claimed attacks on a patrol vessel in the Sea of Azov, a gunpowder factory in Ryazan, and fuel depots in Simferopol. The International Atomic Energy Agency expressed deep concern over a violent attack on a thermal power plant adjacent to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, warning it could compromise electrical lines needed for reactor cooling.