Zelenskyy urges Putin to end war in open letter calling for direct negotiations and ceasefire

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has issued an open letter to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, calling for an end to the war, proposing direct talks and warning that continued hostilities will deepen Russia’s international isolation and domestic strain.

In the letter, released on Thursday, Zelenskyy reflected on the deterioration of relations between Ukraine and Russia since the early years of Putin’s rule, claiming that what once included prospects for pragmatic cooperation had been replaced by sustained conflict and large-scale destruction.

He alleged that Ukrainian long-range drones had recently targeted an event in St Petersburg, describing it as evidence of Kyiv’s expanding military reach. He added that the distance involved — more than 1,000 kilometres — demonstrated that Ukraine’s capabilities were “not the limit”.

Zelenskyy attributed full responsibility for the war to Putin’s political decisions, arguing that the conflict had consumed nearly half of his time in power and transformed bilateral relations into one defined almost exclusively by military confrontation and losses.

“For 26 years, your time in power has completely changed the agenda of relations between Ukraine and Russia. From discussions about trade and other civilian matters, our nations have moved to talking almost exclusively about strikes and losses,” Zelenskyy wrote.

“You have spent nearly half of your 26 years in power in Russia waging war against Ukraine. Whatever you may say about NATO, geopolitics, or the Russian language, this war is your personal choice — a war without a real cause. That is how history will remember it,” he added.

The Ukrainian President also claimed that Russia was facing growing domestic pressures and argued that Russia’s ability to sustain the war was weakening over time.

The letter included battlefield assessments in which Zelenskyy said Russian forces were suffering more than 30,000 killed and wounded per month, though these figures could not be independently verified.

“We know that 63 per cent of your battlefield losses are killed, while only 37 per cent are wounded. In the 21st century, no army can afford such a ratio. And the share of those killed will continue to grow. It is not as if we in Ukraine are concerned about the fate of Russian soldiers after everything your war has brought to our country. But I do care about Ukrainians”, the President said.

“We are losing our people, and every loss is painful to us. Even when the ratio of Ukrainian losses to Russian losses is one to five or one to six, it still matters greatly,” he added.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv’s objective was not a prolonged war but the restoration of peace and sovereignty.

He rejected suggestions that Ukraine should engage diplomatically in Moscow, stating that there was “nothing” for Ukrainian leadership to do there and instead proposed that any future negotiations take place in a neutral location such as Switzerland, Turkey, or in a Gulf state.

“Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you. I am proposing a meeting,” the President said.

Zelenskyy called for a direct meeting between himself and Putin, potentially involving international mediators including the United States and European partners, arguing that a new security framework for Europe was needed.

He said Ukraine would be prepared to observe a full ceasefire during negotiations and proposed a comprehensive prisoner-of-war exchange as an initial step towards de-escalation. He also raised the issue of returning civilians and children displaced during the conflict.

The Ukrainian leader warned that failure to engage seriously in negotiations would prolong the war indefinitely, while asserting that Ukraine would continue to receive international support and sustain its defence.

“But you, too, will have to fight much harder for your own existence — not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes,” Zelenskyy said.

He reiterated that Ukraine remained committed to preserving its independence and urged an end to the conflict, stating simply: “Enough of war.”