"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us -- and you. I am proposing a meeting," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
MOSCOW/KIEV, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can come to Moscow any time if he wishes to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday, responding to Zelensky's open letter earlier in the day proposing a face-to-face meeting with Putin to discuss the peace process.
"Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us -- and you. I am proposing a meeting," Zelensky wrote in the letter, suggesting that Europe and the United States be involved.
He said it would be wrong to wait for the United States to refocus its attention on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine while it currently focuses on its war with Iran.
Zelensky also called for setting a clear date for the meeting and said that Ukraine is prepared to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations.
He noted that Switzerland, Türkiye and some Arab countries have expressed readiness to host such talks.
Peskov said the Kremlin has reviewed the letter and will report to Putin after his working meeting.
"President Putin has said that if Zelensky wants to talk, he can come to Moscow and do so," Peskov said.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected Moscow as a venue for negotiations.
Commenting on U.S. efforts to help settle the Ukraine conflict, Peskov said Russia has never idealized the United States' role and that its national interests remain the top priority.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's "glad" about the prospect of direct talks between Zelensky and Putin, adding, "I think it would be great if they met. They should. Get it done."
He said that both sides need to make compromises and that he had "suggested those compromises," while declining to provide details.
Earlier on Thursday, on the sidelines of the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin told reporters that he has accepted Trump's compromise proposals from last year's Alaska summit, saying they could "serve as a basis of agreements between Russia and Ukraine and put an end to the conflict."
He said that Moscow seeks a comprehensive settlement instead of a temporary truce. ■
