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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the more than four-year-long conflict.
In an open letter carried by Ukrinform, Zelenskyy said the proposal to end the war “must be done honestly, with dignity, and with guarantees that the war will not be reignited”.
Zelensky said the proposed meeting could take place in a third country that traditionally served as a venue for international negotiations, suggesting Switzerland, Turkiye, or countries of the Arab world.
He added that his country was ready to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiation process, noting that international partners, including the United States, could help monitor compliance with a truce.
Yet, Zelenskyy stressed Kyiv would pursue fighting for its existence if Russia rejected the proposal. “If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence.”
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia welcomed the idea of a meeting and stated that Zelenskyy could travel to Moscow at any time.
However, Peskov noted that President Putin had not yet reviewed the open letter and would be briefed on it soon.
The exchange comes as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict remain stalled.
Putin has previously reiterated Moscow’s position that any long-term settlement must address what it describes as the “root causes” of the war, including Russia’s security concerns.
