Overview
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter on Thursday proposing a direct, leader‑level meeting with Vladimir Putin in a neutral country and calling for a fixed date to begin talks.
- Zelensky offered a full ceasefire during negotiations and an “all‑for‑all” prisoner exchange plus return of civilians and children as confidence measures for any summit.
- President Putin said he was prepared to reach an agreement through diplomacy but tied talks to Kyiv accepting compromises he referenced from discussions in Anchorage and stressed that any deal must include territorial concessions.
- The Kremlin said Putin has been informed and spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Zelensky could come to Moscow, a location Kyiv has already ruled out in its public proposal.
- Recent Ukrainian long‑range strikes into Russian territory, including hits near St. Petersburg, and shifting Western priorities such as U.S. focus on Iran have created a limited window for talks but leave deep gaps over venue, sequencing and guarantees.