Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly called for face-to-face negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter, proposing a neutral third country as the venue. The letter, his first direct appeal to Putin since the 2022 invasion, rules out Moscow or Kyiv as hosts and suggests Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible locations.
Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting US priorities, saying it would be wrong to wait for the Trump administration to refocus on Ukraine while it remains heavily engaged in Iran. He urged Putin to set a clear date for a meeting, arguing that leaders must resolve key issues personally.
In his response, Putin said Russia was open to compromise along lines discussed with Donald Trump at their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, but insisted Ukraine must accept those terms. He also said Russia would bolster its air defences after recent Ukrainian drone strikes, which hit an oil terminal and naval base near St Petersburg during his economic forum.
US President Donald Trump said it would be ‘great’ for the two leaders to meet, but noted both sides must make compromises. Separately, the US House of Representatives passed a Democrat-sponsored bill providing over $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid for Ukraine, with an additional $8 billion in loans, overriding Republican objections.
Zelenskyy accused Moscow of planning to prolong the war into 2027-2028 and of drawing Belarus deeper into the conflict. He also warned of Russian efforts to destabilise Transnistria, the breakaway Moldovan region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin was aware of the letter but had not yet read it in detail.
