Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has written an open letter to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and proposed a gathering to debate ending Moscow’s four-year battle on Kyiv.
The letter, which was revealed in full on the Ukrainian president’s web site on Thursday and despatched through diplomatic channels to Russia in addition to international locations together with the US, comes as Russia’s battle on Ukraine continues to rage into its fifth yr.
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On Thursday, at the very least 12 folks have been killed and dozens injured in Russian assaults throughout Ukraine, based on Ukrainian authorities. Zelenskyy additionally commemorated at the very least 707 youngsters killed by Russian assaults throughout the two international locations’ greater than four-year-long battle.
In the meantime, in Russian-occupied Ukraine, at the very least 4 folks have been killed in Ukrainian drone assaults on Thursday. Ukraine additionally struck an oil complicated and naval base in St Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday.
Russia and Ukraine have been holding oblique peace talks for the reason that battle started in February 2022, however with little or no concrete outcomes. US President Donald Trump has additionally met each Putin and Zelenskyy, searching for to carry them to the negotiating desk to debate ending the battle, however up to now, his efforts haven’t borne fruit.
Will Zelenskyy’s open letter to Putin open a brand new path to a ceasefire?
Right here’s what we all know:
What did Zelenskyy say in his letter?
In his letter, Zelenskyy informed Putin that he has spent almost half of his 26 years in energy in Russia “waging battle in opposition to Ukraine” and stated Russians at the moment are rising more and more bored with Ukrainian missiles and drone assaults, inflation and gas shortages.
“We are able to all see that Russians are lastly turning into much less snug with this actuality – with the truth that the battle is bringing increasingly unfavourable penalties to Russia,” he wrote.
He additionally informed Putin {that a} extended battle may threaten the Russian president’s private place. “It’s a reality of Russian historical past that you understand nicely: When Russia grows drained, change comes,” he stated.
“After 26 years in energy, age is starting to take its toll. And with time, the fatigue with you’ll solely develop,” he added.
Zelenskyy additionally wrote that whereas he and the Ukrainian individuals are much less involved concerning the lack of Russian lives on the battlefield, each lack of a Ukrainian counts. “Even when the ratio of Ukrainian losses to Russian losses is one to 5 or one to 6, it nonetheless issues vastly.
“We in Ukraine don’t need a everlasting battle. We all know very nicely that life with out battle is infinitely higher. And we wish to obtain that,” he stated.
Zelenskyy famous that with the US targeted on its battle on Iran, “it could be fallacious to easily wait till the battle in Europe returns to the centre of its consideration,” and steered a path to peace.
“Don’t be afraid to take the trail out of this battle. That’s the major factor that’s required of you now.
“Ukraine proposes ending this battle via direct engagement between us – and also you. I’m proposing a gathering… If you don’t personally come to the conclusion that it’s time to finish this battle, Ukraine will proceed combating for its existence,” he added.
Relating to the situation of the assembly, Zelenskyy stated: “There are international locations which have historically hosted leaders to resolve problems with battle and peace. Switzerland, Turkiye, the international locations of the Arab world – many are in a position and prepared to host such a gathering.
“We consider Europe must be a part of this course of – those that actually have the capability to affect the scenario. We additionally consider that the US should be a part of the method. That is what may assist form a brand new safety structure for our a part of the world,” he added.
Writing on X, Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha described the letter as “a critical and significant proposal to finish the battle … with clear, doable steps and an invite for a private assembly”.
“We anticipate a significant response to this proposal. It’s time to finish this battle. It’s time to decide on peace.”
Why is that this letter vital?
Markus Ziener, a senior visiting fellow on the German Marshall Fund of the US Berlin workplace, informed Al Jazeera that making the letter public forces Russia to brazenly present its hand whereas proving to the world that Ukraine is prepared for diplomacy.
“It locations the ethical excessive floor and the strain to reply fully on the Kremlin,” he stated.
He famous, nonetheless, that this isn’t the primary time Zelenskyy has reached out to Putin.
“Most just lately on Could 11, 2025, he publicly and explicitly introduced that he was able to journey to Turkey to satisfy Putin in individual for face-to-face talks,” he stated.
Zelenskyy’s new proposal reveals that the Ukrainian president “feels emboldened by the successful military pushbacks in opposition to the Russian military on the battlefield, together with efficiently focusing on Russian infrastructure far in Russian mainland”, Ziener stated.
“The Ukrainian president believes that, at the moment, the momentum is on his aspect and subsequently it’s good second [to] providing talks.”
Has Putin accepted Zelenskyy’s proposal?
The Russian president’s spokesman informed reporters in Russia that Putin was conscious of Zelenskyy’s letter however had not but been briefed about its content material intimately.
However at Russia’s showcase annual financial discussion board in St Petersburg on Thursday, Putin said his troops have been persevering with to advance in Ukraine.
“The offensive is ongoing each day. At current, the Russian Federation has taken full management of the Luhansk Individuals’s Republic – 100%. And Russia has introduced greater than 85 % of the territory of the Donetsk Individuals’s Republic underneath its management. (And) 80 % of the territory of the Zaporizhzhia area,” he stated, referring to a few of the 4 areas in Ukraine which Moscow has claimed as its personal since 2022.
“Naturally, underneath these circumstances, the Ukrainian aspect would really like us to halt the advance. However relatively than stopping that, it could be higher to carry the battle to an finish altogether by agreeing to the compromises that have been mentioned in Anchorage,” he stated, referring to a summit he held in Alaska with Trump, which ended with none settlement, in August 2025.
In his letter to Putin, Zelenksyy wrote that Ukraine had heard that Russia “promised in Alaska the decision of sure points regarding Ukraine and Europe”, however added that points on Ukraine and Europe couldn’t be determined in Anchorage.
“For the reason that battle is happening in Europe, and since Ukraine wants safety ensures, whilst you [Putin] additionally search safety ensures for your self, it could be logical to contain those that can genuinely function guarantors,” Zelenskyy stated.
Whereas it’s unknown if Putin will settle for Zelenskyy’s proposal, he informed the convention in St Petersburg: “We’re definitely ready and prepared to achieve an settlement with Ukraine via peaceable means. Particularly, on the idea we mentioned throughout our assembly with President Trump in Anchorage.
“As for what we would say to 1 one other if we have been to achieve the top of the battle, on the very least we may – and certainly ought to say, ‘Thank goodness it’s throughout,’” he added.
To date, Putin has solely agreed to satisfy Zelenskyy in Moscow or a 3rd nation, as soon as a peace settlement is finalised.
Ziener stated it’s extremely unlikely that Putin will conform to Zelenskyy’s newest proposal whereas Russia is militarily underneath strain, as agreeing to direct talks could possibly be seen as a weak point on the a part of the Kremlin.
“Moreover, assembly Zelenskyy as an equal would undermine years of Kremlin propaganda geared toward delegitimising the Ukrainian president,” he stated.
Will the US and Europe play an even bigger function now?
Since Trump turned president of the US for the second time in January 2025, he has been promising to finish Russia’s battle in Ukraine.
He has met each Russia’s President Putin and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy in separate conferences to debate ending the battle, however up to now, these efforts haven’t borne fruit.
Truce talks have largely stalled resulting from Russia’s insistence on protecting territory it has seized from Ukraine. Ukraine has said that it’s not ready to cede any territory.
On Could 22, US State Secretary Marco Rubio stated that whereas trilateral talks had been unsuccessful, the US was able to organise a brand new spherical of peace talks.
Zeiner famous that whereas Trump is signalling assist for the initiative by Zelenskyy, a key query stays on whether or not that really means there will likely be US assist for Ukraine.
“In fact Trump needs the battle to finish. However he’s so consumed by the battle with Iran that he might not be prepared to interact extra in Ukraine. Europe positively helps Zelenskyy’s transfer,” he stated.
European leaders, who’ve been largely sidelined in peace talks since Trump returned to the US presidency final yr, have repeatedly referred to as for ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine for the reason that battle started in 2022.
In Could this yr, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks in Kyiv, in a present of unity a day after Russia’s Vladimir Putin hosted his allies at a Victory Day parade in Purple Sq..
On Wednesday, a German official informed the Reuters information company {that a} window for dialogue is slowly opening between Russia and Europe on Ukraine, though it’s more likely to be months earlier than talks may start.
Whereas it’s unclear who will lead these talks, the German official informed Reuters there are sturdy indications that Germany, France and the UK will play an essential function.
On Thursday, Putin rejected European leaders’ involvement in truce talks.
“How can the EU or particular person EU international locations function mediators when they’re immediately helping the nation with which we’re in an armed battle?” he questioned journalists in St Petersburg.
“Mediation implies neutrality,” he added.
