Zelenskyy's Open Letter to Putin: Direct Meeting, Ceasefire, and Prisoner Exchange Proposed

As concrete steps after a ceasefire, Zelenskyy proposed an exchange of all prisoners of war based on the "all for all" principle, as well as the return of all children and civilians deported during the war. Representatives of Europe and the USA should participate as guarantors in the negotiations, according to him. If a direct meeting does not take place, Kyiv is prepared to continue the fight, the Ukrainian president wrote.

Reaction from the Kremlin

The letter was published on the evening of the same day that Putin held a press conference for selected international journalists at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. According to state media, the Kremlin confirmed receipt of the letter but initially did not comment on its content. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian agencies, that Putin had been informed of the letter. Peskov also referred to Putin's statements that Zelenskyy could come to Moscow at any time if he wanted to talk: "President Putin has said that Zelenskyy can come to Moscow if he wants to talk." Zelenskyy had previously repeatedly categorically ruled out such a negotiation venue.

Putin himself did not directly comment on the new initiative from Kyiv in St. Petersburg. At the economic forum, he reiterated his demand, made since the beginning of the war, for complete Russian control over the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as a prerequisite for a peace settlement. At the same time, the Kremlin chief claimed that the Russian army was attacking along the entire front and was constantly making territorial gains. Putin also spoke of 2,440 square kilometers of territory gained since the beginning of the year.

Putin Insists on Maximum Demands

This figure was rejected by pro-Ukrainian military observers. According to their calculations, Russian troops only captured just under 700 square kilometers since the beginning of the year, with the pace slowing down recently. In May, Ukraine even regained territory. Zelenskyy wrote in his letter that in May alone, the Russian army suffered over 30,000 dead and severely wounded at the front: "In May alone, the Russian army suffered over 30,000 dead and severely wounded at the front." According to Ukraine and its Western allies, the number of Russian soldiers killed exceeds the number of recruits.

In the letter, written in Ukrainian without diplomatic niceties, Zelenskyy sharply criticized Putin. He wrote, among other things, that Russia is suffering from gasoline shortages and inflation, is dependent on China and North Korea, and that there is fear in the country of another mobilization wave: "Russia is suffering from gasoline shortages and inflation, is dependent on China and North Korea, and there is fear in the country of another mobilization wave." Zelenskyy also referred to the upcoming anniversary of the mutiny by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on June 23.

The Ukrainian president further wrote that the majority of Ukrainians welcome the drone attack on the opening of the St. Petersburg Forum: "Today, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians welcome the fact that our long-range drones – after a flight distance of more than 1000 kilometers – have paid a visit to the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg." According to the military, Ukrainian air forces again attacked targets in Russia on the sidelines of the forum; Russian authorities confirmed drone hits on an oil terminal in St. Petersburg.

International Reactions to the Initiative

Putin, in turn, described the Ukrainian drone attacks as evidence of the need to improve the Russian air defense system: "Russia has an air defense system. Yes, we need to improve it.