– Kyiv, Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold direct, face-to-face talks in a neutral country to end the war.
In an open letter, Zelenskyy explicitly ruled out Moscow and Kyiv as venues, proposing Switzerland, Turkey, or an Arab state as possible hosts. He called on both leaders to agree on a specific date for the summit and offered a complete and immediate ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations.
The Ukrainian leader proposed an all-for-all prisoner exchange as a first step, along with the return of all deported Ukrainian civilians and children. He stressed that only a direct meeting between the two presidents can resolve the fundamental issues of the conflict.
Zelenskyy noted that Washington is currently focused on Iran and warned of the danger of waiting for the United States' attention to shift back to Europe. He emphasized the strengthening of Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities and noted the growing internal tensions in Russia, including the high number of casualties, economic pressure, and signs of public weariness.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the initiative, stating that a meeting between the two leaders would be positive and that concessions would be necessary from both sides. The Kremlin has not yet issued an official response to the proposals.