Kremlin Responds to Zelensky Letter as Moscow Awaits Putin’s Review

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has published an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for direct negotiations and a personal meeting aimed at ending the ongoing war. Zelensky Calls for End to War and Direct Talks With Putin In the opening of the letter, Zelensky reflects on the early period of Putin’s leadership, saying that many in Ukraine initially viewed him positively 26 years ago. He contrasts this with the current situation, where, according to him, Ukrainians now associate the relationship between the two countries with drone strikes and military losses rather than economic cooperation. Zelensky argues that the root cause of the conflict lies not in NATO or broader geopolitical tensions, but in decisions made by the Russian leadership.