“Ukraine proposes an end to this war through direct contact between us – and you. I propose a meeting,” Zelenskyy writes in the letter, which was published on the presidential office’s website .
“Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations,” Zelenskyy added.
He has requested a meeting with Putin several times before, but it is rare for him to address the Russian president directly.
A meeting must take place on neutral ground, Zelenskyy writes, dismissing earlier Russian comments that he may well come to Moscow. A Ukrainian leader “has no business in your capital – just as a Russian leader has no business in Kyiv,” the president writes.
But in an initial comment from the Kremlin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by state media, said briefly that Zelenskyy is welcome to Moscow “at any time.”
Putin: Preferably a peace agreement
During a press conference earlier on Thursday with international journalists, Putin expressed confidence that Russia can achieve its goals in Ukraine militarily, but said he would rather see them fulfilled through a peace agreement.
However, this agreement – according to Reuters, based on the deal he reportedly reached with Donald Trump in Alaska last year – depends, according to Putin, on Ukraine’s willingness to compromise.
“If you can’t reach an agreement peacefully, you have to seek a military solution,” Putin said.
“We want to ensure that there can be no armed forces in Ukraine that could pose a threat to Russia.”
Improve air defense
However, his words about achieving peace through agreements come just after he threatened to expand the use of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile against Ukraine.
The missile, which travels at many times the speed of sound and has been used three times in the war, can, according to Russia, be equipped with nuclear weapons.
After high-profile Ukrainian drone attacks against Russia, including one on St. Petersburg on Wednesday in connection with the economic forum taking place there, he also said that Russia must strengthen its air defense.
“Russia has an air defense system, yes. We need to improve it, we need to strengthen it.”
When asked if there are any plans for a meeting or phone call with US President Donald Trump, Putin replied that it “would be very useful.”
