Why Zelenskyy wrote letter to Putin: Source reveals details
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
"The President came up with the idea before the start of the forum in St. Petersburg and ahead of several of his meetings in Europe," the source said.
Zelenskyy’s team takes it calmly that Putin is unlikely to respond constructively to the President’s proposal to sit down at the negotiating table and reach a peace agreement, given the Kremlin leader's recent statements.
"Let him speak. Putin will see one thing, Russians will see another, and our partners will see something else. What matters is that the message is reaching Russia, first and foremost, those groups there that have influence," the source told RBC-Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's letter to Putin
On the evening of June 4, an open letter from Zelenskyy to Putin was published on the website of the Presidential Office. In the letter, the Ukrainian President proposes a meeting with the Russian leader in a third country to discuss a lasting peace.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is prepared to agree to a ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations. Kyiv is also proposing an "all-for-all" prisoner exchange, which could serve as a significant prelude to ending the war.
For more details on the letter’s contents, see the RBC-Ukraine report. Ukraine will deliver the letter to Russia through diplomatic channels.
Earlier, the Kremlin said it had already seen Zelenskyy's letter, although it had not yet been shown to Putin. At the same time, Kremlin officials commented on where they would be willing to meet with Zelenskyy.
