Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for a face-to-face meeting to end the war and proposing a ceasefire around airports to facilitate negotiations. The letter, published on Zelensky's website, argues that Russians are increasingly weary of the conflict and that Putin's resources are dwindling.
Zelensky directly addresses Putin, noting that his 26-year rule has shifted Ukraine-Russia relations from trade to war. He states that the conflict is Putin's personal choice, without real cause, and that history will remember it as such. The Ukrainian leader highlights growing discontent in Russia over gasoline shortages, rising prices, and the prospect of a second mobilisation wave.
He claims that Russian army losses in May exceeded 30,000 killed and wounded, with a 63% death rate, which he says is unsustainable. Zelensky stresses that Ukraine does not want permanent war and believes most Russians also desire peace. He calls for a ceasefire at airports to allow for humanitarian corridors and direct talks, warning that Putin will not capture the Donetsk region this year.
