Zelensky letter urges Putin to end war as Russia touts gains at St. Petersburg forum
Ukrainian President Zelensky published a rare open letter to Vladimir Putin offering face-to-face talks and a full ceasefire, arguing Russians are tired of the war; the Kremlin's Peskov said Putin hadn't seen it and invited Zelensky to Moscow. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin projected confidence, claiming full control of Luhansk and over 85% of Donetsk while again demanding Ukraine cede the Donbas, drop NATO ambitions, and accept Russian sovereignty over Crimea—echoing terms floated at an earlier Anchorage summit with Trump. Independent analysts note Russia's eastern advance has largely stalled amid Ukrainian drone defenses, with NATO estimating roughly 30,000 Russian casualties monthly, even as Moscow intensifies long-range strikes. Separately, the two sides exchanged 185 prisoners each, Putin put Russia's state debt at 16.4% of GDP, and the impatriation relocation program drew about 3,000 applications since April.
Why it matters
Zelensky's direct overture and Putin's unyielding maximalist terms underscore that, despite stalled US-led mediation and reduced American military backing for Kyiv, the gap between the two sides remains wide. Russia's parallel economic pressure on Armenia—restricting cognac imports ahead of Sunday's parliamentary vote—shows Moscow leveraging trade to punish former allies drifting toward the EU, illustrating how the war is reshaping the post-Soviet space and Russia's eroding regional influence.