Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting and full ceasefire in open letter to Putin, Kremlin says he can come to Moscow 'at any time'

The open letter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin directly in an open letter published on Thursday. The letter, posted on the Ukrainian presidency's website, proposed a face-to-face meeting to negotiate an end to the war.

Ukraine proposes to end this war through direct engagement between you and us. I propose a meeting.

Zelensky also offered a concrete de-escalation measure, stating that Kyiv was ready for a full ceasefire to last as long as the negotiations. He argued that leaders are the ones who resolve crucial issues, and that attempting to establish a genuine truce is the best way to begin a dialogue.

The Kremlin's response

The Kremlin responded swiftly to the open letter. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media that Zelensky could come to Moscow "at any time" for a meeting. Peskov added that President Putin had not yet seen the letter in question.

Zelensky can come to Moscow at any time.

The response came on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Putin was meeting with international media representatives, including AFP.

International reaction

Former US President Donald Trump, commenting on the developments, said a meeting between Putin and Zelensky would be "super." He added that both countries would need to make compromises to reach a resolution.

I'm thrilled they're talking about meeting. I think we had something to do with it.

The broader military context

Putin's openness to a meeting coincided with his acknowledgment that Russia needs to improve its air defenses. Speaking at the St. Petersburg forum, he said Russia's air defense system must be "improved" and "strengthened," a statement that came one day after Ukrainian drone strikes targeted an oil complex and a naval base in St. Petersburg.

Russia has an air defense system. Yes, we need to improve it. Yes, we need to strengthen it, and we will do it.

Putin also assessed that US attention had shifted away from the war in Ukraine since Washington launched its conflict with Iran, stating that the American administration was now forced to deal with that issue before all others.

The path forward

The open letter marks a rare direct public appeal from Zelensky to Putin. While the Kremlin's initial response left the door open for a Moscow meeting, the precondition of a full ceasefire during talks and the ongoing drone strikes on Russian territory underscore the distance between the two sides' positions as of Thursday evening.