Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter, proposing direct talks aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In the letter, published on June 4, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready for a leader-to-leader meeting in a neutral country, naming Switzerland, Türkiye and Arab states as possible venues. He also proposed a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations and an all-for-all prisoner exchange as a first step toward ending the war.
Zelensky accused Putin of personally choosing the war and said Russia was increasingly facing the consequences of its aggression, including Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian territory, economic pressure, rising losses and growing fatigue inside Russia.
He said the front line should serve as the starting point for diplomacy and stressed that any agreement must include security guarantees to prevent the war from being reignited. Zelensky added that the United States and European countries should be involved in shaping a future security framework.
The Ukrainian president also called for the return of civilians and children taken from Ukraine during the war.
“If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence,” Zelensky wrote, adding that Russia’s growing exhaustion could eventually bring political change.
The Kremlin has acknowledged receiving the proposal, while international media reported that the letter represents one of Zelensky’s most direct public appeals to Putin since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
