Zelensky in open letter to Putin proposes face-to-face meeting and 'full ceasefire'
France 24 • • general
Key Points:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a direct, face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and offered a full ceasefire during negotiations to end the war, in an open letter published Thursday.
- The Kremlin stated Putin had not yet seen the letter but invited Zelensky to meet in Moscow anytime, a suggestion Zelensky preemptively rejected in his letter.
- Zelensky’s proposal follows intensified Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets, including a recent attack on Saint Petersburg amid a major economic forum hosted there.
- Russian President Putin reiterated doubts about Zelensky’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader and insisted he would only meet Zelensky to finalize an already agreed peace deal, rejecting earlier talks.
- Despite Russia’s claims of battlefield progress, recent data shows Ukraine has regained more territory than it lost in recent months, while Putin acknowledged the need to strengthen Russia’s air defense systems after recent Ukrainian drone attacks.