Overview
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a direct open letter on Thursday proposing a leadership summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking that talks occur in a neutral third country and that a full ceasefire hold for the duration of negotiations.
- The Kremlin confirmed Putin has been briefed and spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Zelensky could travel to Moscow, a response Kyiv rejects because it seeks a neutral venue and pre-negotiation confidence measures.
- Putin told journalists he is willing to reach an agreement through diplomacy but insisted any deal would require concessions from Ukraine and declined to accept a ceasefire as a precondition for talks.
- Fighting and long-range strikes have continued, with Ukrainian drones and missiles hitting targets inside Russia including facilities in St. Petersburg during the city’s economic forum, underscoring persistent battlefield leverage and risk of escalation.
- European officials see a growing window for diplomacy with the E3 (Germany, France and Britain) positioned to help broker talks while the White House’s focus on Iran has reduced U.S.-led momentum, making meaningful progress likely slow and drawn out.