Zelensky proposes face-to-face ceasefire talks with Putin in open letter
The Kremlin has responded by inviting the Ukrainian president to Moscow, a location Kyiv has already ruled out, while maintaining that President Putin has not yet reviewed the correspondence.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a rare open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, formally proposing a face-to-face meeting and a ceasefire. The diplomatic initiative was released on Thursday, marking a significant shift in public communication between the two leaders amid the ongoing conflict.
The proposal comes shortly after the Kremlin chief conceded that Moscow needs to strengthen its air defences following a spate of Ukrainian attacks. This admission regarding the vulnerability of Russian air defences appears to have prompted the Ukrainian president’s direct appeal for negotiations.
In his correspondence, Zelensky ruled out the possibility of meeting in Moscow, a location the Kremlin subsequently suggested as a venue for talks. The Kremlin stated that President Putin had not yet been shown the letter but indicated that Zelensky could meet in the Russian capital "any time".
This response highlights the immediate diplomatic disconnect, as Zelensky had preemptively rejected the Moscow location in his letter. The Kremlin’s position remains that the letter has not yet reached President Putin, despite the public nature of the communication.
The exchange underscores the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding the conflict, with both sides signalling positions that remain fundamentally at odds regarding the terms and location of any potential negotiations.
