Zelenskyy Dares Putin: 3 Years of War, 1 Direct Meeting to End It
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is “losing the initiative each day” and has publicly challenged Vladimir Putin to sit down for face-to-face talks to end the nearly three-year war [169738][169159].
In a series of open letters and interviews, Zelenskyy has directly addressed Putin, arguing that the conflict is a “personal choice” of the Russian leader and that continued fighting only deepens pressure on Moscow [166434][169159]. He proposed meeting in a neutral third country, marking the first time he has written directly to Putin since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 [166531]. Zelenskyy stressed that only “direct engagement” between the two leaders can break the deadlock [166769].
Zelenskyy’s push for talks comes as he describes Ukraine’s military position as the strongest it has been in over two and a half years [169159][168347]. He pointed to recent Ukrainian drone strikes on oil terminals in St. Petersburg, Putin’s hometown, and severe fuel shortages in occupied Crimea caused by attacks on supply roads [169159]. “We can’t say Russia is losing this war,” Zelenskyy told the Guardian. “But we can say they are losing the initiative each day, day by day” [169159].
The Ukrainian leader also warned that Putin’s influence is fading and his war machine is weakening under the strain of military losses, international sanctions, and internal fatigue [168347][166434]. He called on Europe and the world to remain united in support for Ukraine [168347]. No official response from the Kremlin has been reported [166769][167338].