In an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was willing to meet face-to-face and end the Ukraine war "through direct engagement between us."
"Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations," he added in the letter published on the Ukrainian presidency's website.
In one of the few times Zelenskyy has reached out directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukrainian leader said Russians were getting tired of the conflict, and warned Ukraine would "continue fighting for its existence" if Putin did not "personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war."
Putin projects confidence
Zelenskyy's letter comes as Putin on Thursday told the heads of international news agencies at a St. Petersburg economic conference that Russia still holds the upper hand in the war.
