Zelenskyy issues statement after Putin sends 'belittling' response to letter

Jun 5, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a direct and public appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging face-to-face negotiations in a letter that also delivered a scathing critique of the Russian leader's 26-year tenure. This marks the first time Mr Zelensky has publicly addressed Mr Putin directly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Ukrainian leader’s message underscored a recognition of shifting US priorities, stating it would be misguided to simply await the Trump administration’s renewed focus on ending the conflict in Ukraine while its attention remains heavily directed towards the war in Iran. “I am proposing a meeting,” Zelensky wrote.
Zelensky appeared to be trying to seize a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine has begun to regain some battlefield leverage largely through improved long-range strike capabilities that have complicated Russia’s advances. He said the talks could be hosted by a neutral third country, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues and suggested Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible hosts for negotiations. “It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be,” he wrote. “I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting.”