Zelensky Calls for In-Person Meeting with Putin in Open Letter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, proposing a face‑to‑face meeting and offering a “full ceasefire” during negotiations.

The letter is one of the few occasions on which Zelensky has addressed Putin directly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Negotiations between the two countries have stalled for months, with U.S.‑led talks effectively frozen amid the Iran war. Previous rounds of talks in Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Geneva failed to produce a breakthrough on the critical issue of territorial settlement.

“Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting,” Zelensky wrote, a statement that appeared on the Ukrainian presidency’s website.

He added that Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the talks.

Zelensky also suggested an all‑for‑all exchange of prisoners of war, describing it as a “good prologue to ending the war.”

No immediate response came from Putin, who was concluding a meeting with foreign journalists in Saint Petersburg when the letter was released.

Zelensky has repeatedly called for a meeting with Putin, arguing that only face‑to‑face talks can resolve the territorial dispute. Putin has said he would meet only once a peace agreement is ready.

AFP

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