Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote an open letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday, urging him to hold direct talks at a neutral venue. The letter is his first public message to Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine in 2022. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine could not afford to wait for U.S President Donald Trump to refocus on the war as Washington continues to concentrate on the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Ukrainian leader also criticised Putin’s 26-year rule.
Zelenskyy ruled out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues for the negotiations, suggesting a neutral country, including Switzerland, Turkey and Arab nations.
“It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be. I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting,” wrote Zelenskyy.
He also called for the return of Ukrainian civilians, including children, who were taken to Russia during the invasion.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence had information alluding to Russia preparing for a prolonged conflict extending into 2027 and 2028, while increasingly depending on missile strikes to achieve objectives that its ground forces failed to accomplish. He also accused Russia of trying to drag Belarus into the war and attempting to destabilise Transnistria, the Russia-backed breakaway region of Moldova.
The President said Ukraine had video evidence of Russia’s losses of over 30,000 soldiers, who were killed or seriously injured in the month of May alone, and added that similar casualty rates had occurred for months.
“The world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia,” he said.
Ukraine has recently improved its position in the conflict through enhanced long-range strike capabilities that have hindered Moscow’s military operations. Meanwhile, Russia has continued to intensify aerial strikes and ballistic missile attacks across Ukraine.
