Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting, 'full ceasefire' in open letter to Putin — Substrate
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Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting, 'full ceasefire' in open letter to Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for a face-to-face meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter, saying he was also ready for a “full ceasefire”. In response, the Kremlin said Zelensky could meet Putin in Moscow "any time".
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[Abc News] In public letter, Ukraine's Zelenskyy calls on Putin for direct negotiations in a neutral country In public letter, Ukraine's Zelenskyy calls on Putin for direct negotiations in a neutral country Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for face-to-face negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin KYIV, Ukraine -- KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The letter, the first public message Zelenskyy has written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping critique of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power. Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, saying it would be wrong to simply wait for the Trump administration to return its attention to ending the Ukraine war while it remains heavily focused on the Iran war.
“I am proposing a meeting,” Zelenskyy wrote. U.S. President Donald Trump said it “would be great” if Putin and Zelenskyy met. “They should get it done,” Trump said. Asked what concessions he had urged Putin to make to end the war, Trump declined to provide details but said both sides would need to compromise.
“They’re going to both make compromises,” he said. ” Zelenskyy appeared to be trying to seize a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine has begun to regain some battlefield leverage largely through improved long-range strike capabilities that have complicated Russia’s advances.
At the same time, Moscow has intensified its deadly aerial campaign across Ukraine, seeking to exploit Kyiv’s shortages and continued vulnerability to ballistic missile attacks. He said the talks could be hosted by a neutral third country, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues and suggested Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible hosts for negotiations.
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Jun 4, 2:56 PM
(4 days ago)
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13m read
“It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be,” he wrote. ” He said Ukrainian intelligence indicated Russia was considering plans to prolong the war into 2027 and 2028, while increasingly relying on ballistic missile strikes to achieve what its ground campaign had failed to accomplish.
Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict and of attempting to destabilize the situation around Transnistria, the breakaway Moldovan region backed by Russia. The Ukrainian leader argued that Russia was increasingly feeling the costs of the war, pointing to drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, economic strain, fuel shortages, rising prices, and the necessity of more military mobilization.
Zelenskyy claimed Russia suffered more than 30,000 soldiers killed or seriously wounded in May alone, saying Ukraine had “video confirmation” of the battlefield losses and that such casualty levels had been sustained month after month. He added that Ukraine also continues to suffer painful losses despite what he described as a favorable casualty ratio.
He said Ukraine was prepared to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations and proposed an all-for-all prisoner exchange as a first step toward ending the conflict. Zelenskyy also called for the return of civilians and children taken from Ukraine during the war.
“The world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia,” Zelenskyy said.
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[AP News] Ukraine's Zelenskyy calls for face-to-face negotiations with Putin in neutral country KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The letter, the first public message Zelenskyy has written direct... [2928 chars]
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[BBC News] Zelensky proposes face-to-face talks in open letter to Putin Ukraine's president tells the Russian leader that only "direct engagement" between the two countries could end the war, with the US focused on Iran.
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[The Guardian] Zelenskyy calls for face-to-face Ukraine war negotiations in letter to Putin <p>Ukrainian president proposes meeting in neutral third country as Trump says both sides have to ‘make compromises’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/05/volodymyr-zelenskyy-open-letter-to-putin-full-text-russia-ukraine-war">‘You can stop your war’: Zelenskyy’s open letter to Putin – in full</a></p></li></ul><p>The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.</p><p>The letter, the first Zelenskyy has publicly written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping criticism of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/04/zelenskyy-calls-for-face-to-face-negotiations-letter-putin-ukraine-russia-trump">Continue reading...</a>
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[France 24] Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting, 'full ceasefire' in open letter to Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for a face-to-face meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter, saying he was also ready for a “full ceasefire”. In response, the Kremlin said Zelensky could meet Putin in Moscow "any time".
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[nypost.com] Zelensky calls for face-to-face negotiations to end war in public letter to Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Put...
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[@Reuters] Ukrainians expressed skepticism that an open letter by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Russian P... Ukrainians expressed skepticism that an open letter by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Russian President Vladimir Putin would help bring an end to more than four years of war
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[BBC News] Zelensky proposes face-to-face talks in open letter to Putin Ukraine's president tells the Russian leader that only "direct engagement" between the two countries could end the war, with the US focused on Iran.
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[The Guardian] Zelenskyy calls for face-to-face Ukraine war negotiations in letter to Putin <p>Ukrainian president proposes meeting in neutral third country as Trump says both sides have to ‘make compromises’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/05/volodymyr-zelenskyy-open-letter-to-putin-full-text-russia-ukraine-war">‘You can stop your war’: Zelenskyy’s open letter to Putin – in full</a></p></li></ul><p>The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.</p><p>The letter, the first Zelenskyy has publicly written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping criticism of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/04/zelenskyy-calls-for-face-to-face-negotiations-letter-putin-ukraine-russia-trump">Continue reading...</a>
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[GB News] Volodymyr Zelensky summons Vladimir Putin for face-to-face meeting as Russia's economy crumbles Volodymyr Zelensky has summoned Vladimir Putin for a face-to-face meeting in a bid to end the Russian premier's four-year invasion of his country.
The Ukrainian President published an extraordinary open letter last night calling for a meeting between the two world leaders, adding he was ready for a "full ceasefire". Mr Putin - who was speaking in St Petersburg as the letter was published - said he hoped the war would end as soon as possible.
So far, Mr Zelensky has called for a ceasefire before peace talks are held, while his Russian counterpart wants his war to continue while negotiations are held. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Mr Zelensky said the majority of Russians had become tired of the war and its economic consequences, describing it as "a war without a real cause".
He said Russians "do not like" Ukrainian missiles and drones, gas shortages and rising prices and that there was "no end in sight to your war". And in a chilling twist, he highlighted how Ukraine's drones "paid a visit" to Mr Putin's home city of St Petersburg, covering a distance of more than 1,000 kilometres.
"As you know very well, that distance is not the limit of our capabilities," Mr Zelensky's letter said. In another blow to Mr Putin just days ago, Russia's top finance officials and even its central bank have demanded he reins in defence spending in order to stabilise the economy.
And the Ukrainian President, in his open letter, said Russia was now "fully dependent" on China, after Mr Putin's state visit to Beijing . Defence officials have requested billions of extra dollars to fund the conflict, according to Bloomberg. Directly addressing Mr Putin, the letter went on: "Do not be afraid to take the path out of this war.
" The Ukrainian President noted that Kyiv had received intelligence indicating the Kremlin planned to stretch the war as far into the future as 2028, that the Russian President hopes " ballistic missiles will achieve for you what everything else has failed to achieve", and that Russia planned to bring Belarus further into the war.
MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE: Volodymyr Zelensky issues message to King Charles after monarch's 'strong words' in US Rishi Sunak takes up advisory role to Volodymyr Zelensky on Ukraine’s economy Vladimir Putin sanctions British schoolboy for exposing Russia-backed money laundering network In St Petersburg, Mr Putin warned Moscow had not yet used its Oreshnik hypersonic missile in real combat conditions .
The Oreshnik is a nuclear-capable projectile with a range of over 3,100 miles, which he previously claimed was impossible to intercept - though it appeared to malfunction in testing last week. "Ukraine proposes to end this war," Mr Zelensky wrote. " He continued: "We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention.
"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us - and you. I am proposing a meeting. "Everyone heard your representatives, smiling, say that I could supposedly come to Moscow. " Mr Zelensky named Switzerland, Turkey, and "countries of the Arab world" as locations for a potential meeting, and called for a clear date to be set.
He also called Europe and the United States to be directly involved in talks, adding that Washington could be involved in monitoring a ceasefire between the two countries during peace negotiations. The Kremlin confirmed Mr Putin was aware of the letter, but had not familiarised himself with its contents.
On the topic of peace, he told reporters: "We are certainly prepared and willing to reach an agreement with Ukraine through peaceful means. Specifically, on the basis we discussed during our meeting with President Trump in Anchorage . "Russia agrees to those compromises we discussed in Anchorage.
The Ukrainian side must also agree to these compromises.
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[France 24] In open letter to Putin, Zelensky calls for meeting and ceasefire To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading.
To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. In open letter to Putin, Zelensky calls for meeting and ceasefire Issued on: Share Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader Thursday, shortly after the Kremlin chief had conceded Moscow needed to strengthen its air defences following a spate of Ukrainian attacks.
The Kremlin said Putin had not yet been shown the letter, but that Zelensky could meet Putin in Moscow "any time" -- a proposal that the Ukrainian leader preemptively ruled out in his letter.
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[@AFP] 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in... 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader, after the Kremlin chief conceded Moscow needed to strengthen its air defences following a spate of Ukrainian attacks ➡️
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[@France24_en] 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky published an open letter Thursday calling for a... 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky published an open letter Thursday calling for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir #Putin. In response, the #Kremlin said Zelensky could meet Putin in #Moscow "any time". Watch for more ⤵️
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[nypost.com] Zelensky calls for face-to-face negotiations to end war in public letter to Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Put...
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[@AFP] 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in... 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader, after the Kremlin chief conceded Moscow needed to strengthen its air defences following a spate of Ukrainian attacks ➡️
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[@France24_en] 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky published an open letter Thursday calling for a... 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky published an open letter Thursday calling for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir #Putin. In response, the #Kremlin said Zelensky could meet Putin in #Moscow "any time". Watch for more ⤵️
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[France 24] Zelensky in open letter to Putin proposes face-to-face meeting and 'full ceasefire' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader Thursday, saying he was also ready for a "full ceasefire". The Kremlin said Putin had not yet been shown the letter... [3412 chars]
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[The Guardian] Zelenskyy calls for face-to-face Ukraine war negotiations in letter to Putin <p>Ukrainian president proposes meeting in neutral third country as Trump says both sides have to ‘make compromises’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/05/volodymyr-zelenskyy-open-letter-to-putin-full-text-russia-ukraine-war">‘You can stop your war’: Zelenskyy’s open letter to Putin – in full</a></p></li></ul><p>The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.</p><p>The letter, the first Zelenskyy has publicly written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping criticism of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/04/zelenskyy-calls-for-face-to-face-negotiations-letter-putin-ukraine-russia-trump">Continue reading...</a>
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[BBC News] Zelensky proposes face-to-face talks in open letter to Putin Ukraine's president tells the Russian leader that only "direct engagement" between the two countries could end the war, with the US focused on Iran.
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[Le Monde] Macron welcomes Zelensky's open letter to Putin The French president called the letter proposing a face-to-face meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders a 'good initiative.'
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[CNN] Zelensky proposes direct meeting with Putin to end war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, in an open letter posted as the Russian leader was speaking to media at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It comes a day after Ukrainian ... [1967 chars]
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[France 24] War in Ukraine: Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting with Putin to end years-long war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader Thursday, saying he was also ready for a "full ceasefire".
"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us -- and you. I am proposing a meeting," Zelensky said in the letter. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Rochelle Ferguson-Bouyahi tells us more.
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