Zelensky publishes letter he sent to Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent an open letter to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in which he extended a personal invitation for a face-to-face meeting with the aim of ending the war.

The letter was published a day after Ukraine carried out a major attack on St. Petersburg, hitting a major oil depot and military targets on the same day Putin was hosting world leaders at his major economic forum.

In the letter, Zelensky presents arguments why Putin should end the conflict and sets conditions for resuming negotiations.

"This war is your personal choice"

"You have spent almost half of your 26 years in power in Russia at war with Ukraine," Zelensky wrote, adding that "whatever you say about NATO, geopolitics, or the Russian language, this war is your personal choice - a war without real reason. History will remember it this way."

He recalls Russia's failure to capture Kiev in 2022, the impact of international sanctions on the Russian economy, the huge human losses, and the growing discontent of Russian citizens as the war continues.

"There is no end in sight to your war"

"The Russian people do not like our drones and missiles. They do not like fuel shortages and the constant rise in prices. They do not like permanent restrictions. They do not like your intention for a new wave of mobilization to expand the war in Ukraine or against any other neighboring country. They do not like the fact that your war has no end in sight," the Ukrainian president writes.

Proposal for meeting and negotiations

Zelensky invited Putin to a meeting in a neutral location to agree on the terms of a peace agreement.

"Ukraine offers to end this war. We must do this fairly, with dignity, and with guarantees that a new war will not break out. I propose that we meet," he wrote.

He demanded that the Russian president set a clear date for the meeting and stressed that the United States and Europe should also have a role in the process.

"You will be forced to fight for your survival"

"We must determine what future awaits future generations of Ukrainians and Russians," Zelensky writes to his Russian counterpart.

"If you do not understand for yourself that the time has come to end this war, Ukraine will continue to fight for its survival. We will have support. But you will also have to fight much more for your survival - not for Russia's survival, but for your own," the Ukrainian leader said.

Volodymyr Zelensky's full letter to Vladimir Putin:

When you came to power more than 26 years ago, many people in Ukraine looked at you with approval. That was the case then, but that is now a thing of the past.

Today, the vast majority of Ukrainians look with approval on the fact that our long-range drones “visited” the opening of your forum in St. Petersburg, flying over 1.000 kilometers. As you well know, this distance does not represent the limit of our capabilities.

Over the past 26 years, your rule has completely changed the nature of relations between Ukraine and Russia. From discussions about trade and other civil matters, our peoples have moved on to conversations that are almost exclusively about attacks and defeats.

You have spent almost half of your 26 years in power at war against Ukraine.

Whatever you say about NATO, geopolitics, or the Russian language, this war is your personal choice – a war without real reason. History will remember it that way.

These years could have been completely different.

The consequences of the war for Russia

We often hear that this war suits you. Of course, not when it comes to the security of your residence in Valdai or the parades in Moscow. Your life is precious to you.

But now we all see that even for Russians this reality is becoming increasingly unpleasant – the fact that the war is bringing increasingly serious consequences for Russia itself.

They don't like our drones and missiles. They don't like the fuel shortages and the constant price increases. They don't like the permanent restrictions. They don't like your intention to launch a new wave of mobilization with the aim of expanding the war in Ukraine or against other countries neighboring Russia. They don't like the fact that your war has no end in sight.

Yes, you can still force the Russians to live this way. But your resources are dwindling significantly. You will not have enough money and political capital to buy the loyalty of the Russians as you have done for the past 26 years. And we will do everything in the world to help bring that moment closer.

As you like to say yourself: "Let's look at the numbers."

Yesterday I received a report on the losses of your army on the battlefields of Ukraine during the month of May. The number of Russian soldiers killed and seriously wounded has again exceeded 30.000. We are inflicting this level of losses month after month, and for each case we have video evidence – these are not empty words.

We know that 63 percent of your losses on the front are killed, while only 37 percent are wounded. In the 21st century, no army can afford such a ratio. And the percentage of killed will continue to increase.

It's not that we in Ukraine are worried about the fate of Russian soldiers after everything your war has brought to our country. But I care about Ukrainians. We are losing our people, and every loss is painful for us. Even when the ratio of Ukrainian to Russian losses is one to five or one to six, this remains extremely important.

It is also important that you, every few months, continue to push back your deadlines for the occupation of our regions – especially the Donetsk region. You will not occupy it this year either.

But we in Ukraine do not want a permanent war. We know very well that life without war is infinitely better. And we want to achieve this. I am convinced that most Russians would also welcome this – and you know this.

Ukraine's stability and Russia's isolation

Many people didn't believe that Ukraine could last this long. You didn't believe it. Neither did those who advised you. This was a mistake.

You didn't expect such resistance from Ukraine and you didn't foresee things going this far. Yet here we are – in the fifth year of this all-out war.

Don't be afraid to choose your way out of this war. This is the main thing that is required of you today.

Ukraine has preserved its independence. And it will preserve it. Despite all predictions to the contrary.

We have brought together many people around the world to stand with Ukraine and against you. We have found the weapons and funding we need. We get support. You get sanctions. And this will continue until justice is done for Ukraine.

We will not allow those who try to convince you that sanctions against Russia will be significantly eased and support for Ukraine will decrease without any fundamental change on your part to succeed.

Ukraine has weathered harsh winters while you tried to destroy our energy system. We stood strong – even in the darkness, the resilience of Ukrainians remained intact.

We have brought war to your territory, something you could not have faced without the help of North Korea. You are the first Russian ruler to turn to Pyongyang for help. Today you are completely dependent on China – also for the first time in Russian history.

You believed that Ukrainians would not have the strength to defend themselves. However, today our people are helping our partners in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf to build their defenses.

You were hoping for internal unrest in Ukraine. Instead, your military formations rebelled against you.

Proposal for direct negotiations

We have information that you are considering plans to continue the war into 2027 and 2028. We also know that you hope that ballistic missiles will achieve what everything else has not.

Enough with the war.

Ukraine proposes to end it. This must be done with justice, dignity, and with guarantees that war will not break out again.

Ukraine proposes that this war be ended through a direct conversation between us – you and me.

I propose a meeting.

Everyone has heard your representatives smilingly say that I can come to Moscow. But after these 26 years, a Ukrainian leader has no business in your capital, just as a Russian leader has no business in Kiev.

There are countries that have traditionally hosted leaders to resolve issues of war and peace. Switzerland, Turkey, and the countries of the Arab world are willing and able to organize such a meeting.

It is the leaders who solve the key issues. It has always been that way and it always will be that way.

I propose setting a clear date for such a meeting.

Framework for achieving peace

We believe that Europe should be part of this process – those who truly have the capacity to influence the situation.

We also believe that the United States should be part of the process. This can help create a new security architecture for our part of the world.

We have experienced many agreements with Russia, including the Minsk agreements, which ultimately failed. Therefore, we must find direct answers to the remaining issues and not hide behind formulas, technical working groups, or endless waste of time.

The current front line is the point from which diplomacy should begin.

Ukraine is ready for a complete ceasefire during negotiations.

Ukraine is also ready for the exchange of all prisoners of war according to the "all for all" principle, which could be a good introduction towards ending the war.

Serious steps must be taken to return civilians and children sent away during the war.

We need to determine what future awaits future generations of Ukrainians and Russians.

The choice is yours.

If you personally do not conclude that the time has come to end this war, Ukraine will continue to fight for its survival. We will have the support of those who stand with us.

But you will also have to fight much harder for your survival – not for Russia's survival, but for your own.

This is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia gets tired, changes come.

We can work through that fatigue. You can stop your fight.

Eternal glory to all those who lost their lives in this war.

Glory to Ukraine!