‘Do not be afraid to take the path out of this war’: Zelensky’s open letter to Putin

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, in which he proposed the two leaders meet to agree to end more than four years of war, ⁠but warning that Kyiv stood ready to fight on otherwise.

In his letter, which the president’s office said had been sent to other countries, including the United States, Zelensky said the majority of Russians had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready ⁠for peace.

Zelensky said that with the United ​States ⁠focused on the conflict in Iran “it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the centre of its attention”.

Black smoke rises after Ukraine reportedly launched unmanned aerial vehicle attacks on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (Photo: Ali Cura/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Ukrainian president said the path to peace had to start at the frontline, “the line ​from which ⁠diplomacy must begin”.

Ukraine, Zelensky said, ‌stood for “a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations. This is standard practice”.

He said the United States “has the capability to monitor a ceasefire along the line ‌where hostilities stop”.

Zelensky proposed setting a clear date ‌for a meeting and said several countries had “traditionally hosted leaders to resolve issues of war and peace”, citing Switzerland, Turkey and the countries of the Arab world.

Ukrainian serviceman fire a howitzer towards Russian troops near the town of Kostiantynivka (Photo: Reuters)

“Do not be afraid to take the path out ⁠of this war. That is the main thing that is required of you now,” Zelensky wrote.

“Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting… If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence.”

And continued war, Zelenskiy suggested, could threaten Putin’s personal position.

“It is a fact of ‌Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes.”

A resident stands at a site of a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Kyiv (Photo: Reuters)

In ​Moscow, the Kremlin said it had seen Zelensky’s letter and that ‌Putin would be briefed on it.

Ukrainian ⁠Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing on X, said the letter would also ⁠be sent officially through diplomatic channels.

Sybiha described the letter as “a serious and meaningful proposal to end the war… with clear, ‌doable steps and ​an invitation for a personal meeting.”

“We expect a ‌meaningful response to this proposal. It’s ​time to end this war. It’s time to choose peace.”