Zelensky proposes direct meeting with Putin to end Ukraine war; Kremlin says he can visit Moscow anytime
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Zelensky proposes direct meeting with Putin to end Ukraine war; Kremlin says he can visit Moscow anytime")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Photograph: (X/@ZelenskyyUa)
Putin on Thursday said US President Donald Trump had asked Russia to show flexibility in negotiations over a Ukraine peace settlement, adding that Moscow was ready to make compromises provided Kyiv did the same.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed readiness for a complete ceasefire during negotiations aimed at ending the war.
In an open letter published on the Ukrainian presidency's website on Thursday, Zelensky called for face-to-face talks with the Russian leader, saying direct engagement could help revive stalled peace efforts.
"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between you and us. I am proposing a meeting," Zelensky wrote, adding “Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations.”
Zelensky also proposed an all-for-all exchange of prisoners of war, describing it as a potential first step towards a broader peace settlement. He said such an exchange could serve as a "good prologue to ending the war".
The proposal comes at a time when diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have largely reached an impasse. Several rounds of negotiations in Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Geneva have failed to produce a breakthrough, particularly on the issue of territory. US led peace initiatives have also remained largely frozen in recent months amid the fallout from the Iran conflict.
Responding to the letter, the Kremlin said Zelensky would be welcome to meet Putin in Moscow.
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"Zelensky can come at any time to Moscow," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian state media. However, he added that Putin had not yet been shown the letter.
Putin says Ukraine must also make concessions
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Meanwhile, Putin said US President Donald Trump had urged Russia to make concessions as part of a potential peace agreement and indicated that Moscow was prepared to do so if Ukraine showed similar flexibility.
Speaking on Thursday, Putin said Russia was "ready to make a deal with Ukraine peacefully" and maintained that Moscow remained open to negotiations. At the same time, he argued that any future settlement would require compromises from Kyiv.
"Ukraine also needs to compromise," Putin said.
The Russian president further claimed that Russian forces now control more than 85 per cent of the Donetsk region and had recently captured around 2,440 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory. He also described Ukraine's manpower situation as a "catastrophic lack of personnel", claiming that Kyiv's military was facing growing difficulties along the front line.
