Meeting between Putin and Zelensky: why the hypothesis is strengthening

Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to Vladimir Putin a meeting to begin new negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. A meeting whose outlines have already been, in part, specified.

“Ukraine is proposing to end this war,” declared Volodymyr Zelensky in a letter directly addressed to Vladimir Putin and published on Thursday June 4, 2026. If this is not the first time that the Ukrainian president has proposed a ceasefire to the armed conflict which has been raging for more than four years, this time it is went much further: “Ukraine proposes to end this war through direct engagement between us and you.” Volodymyr Zelensky “proposes a meeting” in which he would participate alongside Vladimir Putin and asks to “set a precise date”.

The meeting proposed by the Ukrainian president would serve as a starting point for peace negotiations which could be accompanied by a “total ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations” to which Ukraine says it is “ready”. “Trying to establish real silence is the best way to start the dialogue,” assures Volodymyr Zelensky. The leader also lists other arguments likely to mollify Russia such as “a complete exchange of prisoners of war” and “concrete measures” for the repatriation of “civilians and children who were taken away during the war”.

The Ukrainian invitation sent, the Russian reaction remains to be seen. Vladimir Putin has not yet responded to this letter, but he could do so during his speech scheduled for this Friday, June 5 in Saint Petersburg. In the meantime, it was the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, who reacted by indicating that Volodymyr Zelensky could go to Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart “at any time”. However, the visit of the Ukrainian president to Russia is not a feasible option.

Where could the meeting take place?

Volodymyr Zelensky has laid out preliminary outlines for the meeting he is proposing, in particular on the place where the meeting could be held. “A Ukrainian leader has nothing more to do in [la] capital [russe]just as a Russian leader has nothing more to do in kyiv”, he affirmed in his letter having anticipated the declarations of the Kremlin. Ukraine and Russia being eliminated from the countries which can host peace negotiations, the head of state underlined that “certain countries traditionally welcome leaders to resolve the problems linked to war and peace” and cited as examples “Switzerland, Turkey, the countries of the Arab world”. “There are many who are able and willing to organize such a meeting”, he added in his letter.

Ukrainian and Russian delegations have already met abroad during the only direct negotiations organized in March 2022, a month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by Turkey. Exchanges that led to nothing. Since then, attempts at negotiations have been led by the United States of Donald Trump, who met the Russian president in Anchorage, Alaska, and the Ukrainian president in Washington in August 2025. The American president also welcomed Ukraine’s proposal and claimed that a meeting would be “great”. He also recalled that the two countries “will have to make compromises” which he has already “suggested”.

Donald Trump’s enthusiasm is good news for the Ukrainian president who, in addition to discussing possible locations for the negotiations, has drawn up a list of powers who should attend, according to him, to act as “guarantors”. Among these powers, he cites the United States and especially Europe which is directly concerned by the war in Ukraine. On the European side, Emmanuel Macron welcomed a “good initiative” recalling having “always defended direct negotiations between Ukraine and the Kremlin”.

Vladimir Putin set a condition for a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky

A meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladirmir Putin would be historic since the last meeting of the two heads of state dates back to December 9, 2019. It took place on the occasion of a summit in Paris bringing together the two leaders as well as Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel then German Chancellor aiming to relaunch the implementation place of the “Minsk II” peace agreements signed in 2015.

Despite the initiative of the Ukrainian president, there is little chance that a new meeting will take place. Vladimir Putin has already stated on several occasions that he would only be ready to meet Volodymyr Zelensky after the signing of a peace agreement. The master of the Kremlin also questioned the legitimacy of his Ukrainian counterpart – whose presidential mandate expired in 2024, but was extended due to martial law which prevents elections from being held during war – and could refuse a meeting in this capacity.