KYIV, June 5, 2026 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct, face-to-face talks aimed at ending the war between the two countries.
In an open letter addressed to Putin, Zelensky argued that waiting for international circumstances to change, particularly for the United States to refocus its attention on the conflict, would be a mistake. He stressed that meaningful peace could only be achieved through direct negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
The Ukrainian leader also called for a comprehensive ceasefire to take effect during the proposed negotiations. However, Putin had reportedly dismissed the possibility of a full ceasefire just a day earlier.
Zelensky’s letter included a formal invitation for a personal meeting, suggesting that the talks could be held in a neutral country such as Switzerland or Türkiye. He emphasized that Ukraine remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict and ending the bloodshed through dialogue.
The Kremlin confirmed that it had received the letter and said Putin would be briefed on its contents. Nevertheless, the letter’s tone was described as unusually sharp, highlighting recent Ukrainian drone and missile strikes inside Russian territory and criticizing Putin’s lengthy tenure in power.
Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct dialogue between you and me,” Zelensky wrote, adding that both nations have suffered heavily from the prolonged conflict.
Speaking at an economic forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said he remains interested in reaching an agreement with Ukraine but insisted that any settlement would require compromises. He also reiterated Moscow’s long-standing demands, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the partially occupied regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as Kyiv’s abandonment of its NATO aspirations.
Ukraine has firmly rejected territorial concessions, arguing that surrendering land would only encourage further Russian aggression.
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the prospect of a meeting between the two leaders, describing it as “a very good thing” and expressing hope that both sides would make concessions necessary to achieve peace.
Recent efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have largely stalled, with previous rounds of talks in Geneva, Abu Dhabi, and Istanbul failing to produce a breakthrough. Despite the challenges, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described Zelensky’s open letter as a sincere and meaningful proposal, saying it was time for both sides to choose peace over continued war.
The letter was released as Putin attended a major economic forum in St. Petersburg, underscoring renewed diplomatic efforts amid continued fighting and escalating cross-border attacks.
