The Ukraine-Russia war: Volodimir Zelensky proposes a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin

The Kremlin said Zelensky can meet Putin in Moscow “at any time.”

Negotiations to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War they have been stagnant.

Ukraine regularly attacks Russia and Moscow-occupied territories in retaliation for daily Russian bombings since the start of the large-scale Russian offensive in February 2022.

“Ukraine proposes end this war by direct engagement between you and us. “I propose a meeting,” Zelensky wrote in the unusual letter.

kyiv is “willing to have a complete ceasefire while negotiations last”he added hours before Putin gives a speech at a major investment forum in St. Petersburg, known as the “Russian Davos.”

In statements to a group of foreign journalists in his hometown, Putin affirmed this Thursday that he was always willing to negotiate a way out of the war with kyiv. based on what was said “during the meeting with (American) President Donald Trump” in Anchorage in August 2025.

“To begin negotiations there is no need to cease military actions,” Putin said during a meeting with representatives of the main world news agencies, including EFE, at the Constantine Palace, on the outskirts of the city of Saint Petersburg.

Moscow demands political and territorial concessions from kyiv, in particular a complete withdrawal from the Donetsk region which is part of Donbas.

The Ukrainian government refuses, considering it a capitulation.

An agreement does not exclude, according to Putin, Moscow from completely controlling the Donbas, a mining basin in eastern Ukraine that today is partially under Russian control.

“One does not exclude the other“he told reporters.

The head of US diplomacy, Marco Rubio, stated on Wednesday that “neither side has been willing to make the concessions necessary to restore peace, particularly on the Russian side.”

Donald Trump returned to the White House saying that he would end the war in a short time, but since a war broke out in the Middle East after a joint attack by the United States and Israel, Iran has another open front.

“It is clear that the US administration is forced to focus its attention on this issue and address it before any other,” Putin said Thursday.

Fighting continues on the ground. ANDThe Russian leader assured that Moscow’s troops are advancing “along the entire front.”

An AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows, however, that Ukraine has recovered about 282 km² from the Russians in Mayreducing for the second consecutive month the area of ​​its territory controlled by Moscow.

From the end of 2023 until a few months ago the Russians gained ground. However, despite the retreat of Moscow’s forces, there are Russian soldiers infiltrated in most of the areas where Ukraine has regained ground.

And Putin plans to strengthen the anti-aircraft defense system.

“Russia has an anti-aircraft defense system. Yes, we must improve it. Yes, we must reinforce it. And we will do it”he stated a day after a drone attack against energy and military sites in St. Petersburg.

Putin did not rule out extending the use of the Russian Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile to target Ukrainian cities.

The Russian leader repeated that this missile, already used three times against Ukraine, It is capable of carrying nuclear warheads.