The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, proposed this Thursday to hold a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to try to move towards a negotiated solution to the war that began with the Russian invasion of 2022.
The initiative was presented in an open letter addressed to the leader of the Kremlin and received immediate support from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who considered that a face-to-face meeting between both leaders could help unblock the diplomatic process.
The proposal comes at a time of stagnation in the talks to end the conflict and as fighting continues along hundreds of kilometers of the front line. In his message, Zelensky stated that negotiations should start from the current reality on the ground and suggested organizing a summit in a third country.
“I propose setting a clear date for such a meeting,” the Ukrainian leader wrote. As he explained, there are several countries with experience in organizing international dialogues that could host a meeting of this kind.
Zelensky ruled out the meeting being held in Moscow or Kyiv and defended the need to choose a neutral venue. He also suggested that other international actors could join the process, especially those capable of offering security guarantees for both parties.
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United States President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting at the White House
In that context, he demanded the participation of European countries and the United States.
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“Since the war is taking place in Europe, and since Ukraine needs security guarantees, while you are also seeking security guarantees for yourself, it would be logical to involve those who can truly serve as guarantors”, he pointed out in the letter.
The Ukrainian president also maintained that Kiev is willing to suspend military operations while serious talks are taking place.
“Ukraine is ready for a total ceasefire during negotiations”, he stated.
The proposal represents one of the most direct calls made by Zelensky to Putin since the start of the full-scale invasion. Throughout the letter, the leader insisted that there is still an opportunity to end the conflict through political means.
“Do not be afraid to leave this war. That is the main thing that is required of you now,” he wrote.
The Ukrainian head of state also defended his country’s resilience after more than four years of fighting. “Ukraine has preserved its independence and will preserve it despite all predictions to the contrary,” he stated.
Trump supported the initiative and called for mutual concessions
Hours after the letter was released, Donald Trump publicly expressed his support for the possibility of a meeting between Zelensky and Putin. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during a meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska (REUTERS/File)
During statements made at the White House, the U.S. president maintained that Washington has contributed to keeping the channels of dialogue open between the parties and spoke positively about the possibility of a meeting.
“I’m glad that perhaps you are talking about meeting up. I think we had a lot to do with that”, he stated.
Trump added that a summit could facilitate breakthroughs that have not been possible until now through regular diplomatic contacts.
“I think it would be fantastic if they met. They should do it. Work it out”, he declared.
The US president also insisted that no negotiation will be able to prosper without reciprocal concessions. “Both are going to have to make concessions,” he pointed out, without detailing what the specific points are that Kiev and Moscow would have to accept.
Zelensky’s letter also included criticisms of the Russian strategy and warnings about the costs that the conflict continues to generate for both countries. The Ukrainian president maintained that the war continues to affect Russian society and questioned the possibility of prolonging the fighting indefinitely.
Despite those differences, the president insisted that there is still room for direct negotiation between the two governments. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with representatives of international agencies in the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (REUTERS)
For the moment, the Kremlin has not issued a formal response to the proposal. However, the initiative once again places on the table the possibility of a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, an encounter that, if it were to materialize, would represent one of the most important political contacts since the start of the war and could mark the course of future negotiations to attempt to end the conflict.
