Putin sagt, es habe keinen Sinn, Selenskyj zu treffen, um den Krieg in der Ukraine zu beenden

He can’t end the war without achieving his maximalist aims or he’ll be taken down from within.

That’s what he’s saying publicly. There would be back channel talks. Eventually, the Ukrainians will apply enough pressure that he’ll have to cave. They’ll allow him to save some face by not joining NATO/EU until his death, but all in all, the war was futile.

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Open Letter to the President of the Russian Federation

From the President of Ukraine

More than 26 years ago, when you first came to power in Russia, many Ukrainians viewed you positively. That is now in the past.

Today, most Ukrainians react positively when Ukrainian long-range drones strike targets over 1,000 kilometers inside Russia. As you know, that distance is not the limit of our capabilities.

Over your 26 years in power, relations between Ukraine and Russia have gone from discussions about trade and civilian issues to discussions only about strikes, casualties, and war.

Nearly half of your time in power has been spent waging war against Ukraine.

Whatever you say about NATO, geopolitics, or the Russian language, this war was your personal choice and one without a real justification. History will remember it that way.

You often claim the war suits Russia. But Russians are increasingly dissatisfied with what the war is bringing:

Drone and missile attacks on Russian territory.

Fuel shortages and rising prices.
Increasing restrictions.

The prospect of another mobilization wave.

No visible end to the war.

You can still force Russians to endure this, but your resources are shrinking.

Yesterday I received a report on Russian military losses in May. Once again, more than 30,000 Russian soldiers were killed or seriously wounded. We maintain this level of losses every month, and we have video evidence for every casualty we count.

We know that roughly 63% of your losses are fatalities and 37% are wounded. Modern armies cannot sustain such a ratio indefinitely.

Ukraine also suffers losses, and every Ukrainian death matters to us.

You have repeatedly postponed your deadlines for conquering Ukrainian regions, especially the Donetsk region. You will not capture it this year either.

Ukraine does not want endless war. We know life without war is far better, and we want to achieve that.

Many people did not believe Ukraine could resist for this long. You did not believe it, and neither did your advisers.

You expected Ukraine to collapse quickly, but we are now in the fifth year of full-scale war.
Do not be afraid to leave this war. That is what is needed from you now.

Ukraine remains independent and will remain independent.

We united many countries in support of Ukraine. We obtained weapons and financing. We receive support while Russia receives sanctions, and that will continue until justice for Ukraine is achieved.

You tried to destroy our energy infrastructure during difficult winters, but Ukraine endured.
You were forced to seek military assistance from North Korea, something no previous Russian ruler had done.

Today Russia is heavily dependent on China, also unprecedented in Russian history.
You hoped for internal unrest in Ukraine, but it was your own military formations that rebelled against you (a reference to the Wagner mutiny).

The world is not tired of Ukraine, but many are tired of Russia.

We have seen intelligence reports suggesting you are considering continuing the war through 2027 and 2028, expanding Belarus‘ involvement, and pursuing additional regional pressure.

The choice is yours.

Enough war.

Ukraine proposes ending the war.

I propose a direct meeting between us.

Not in Moscow or Kyiv, but in a neutral country such as Switzerland, Turkey, or a country in the Arab world.

Leaders must solve the key issues directly.

Let us agree on a specific date.

Europe should participate because Ukraine needs security guarantees and Russia also claims to want security guarantees.

The United States should also be involved.
The front line should become the starting point for diplomacy.

Ukraine is prepared to agree to a complete ceasefire for the duration of negotiations.

The United States could help monitor such a ceasefire.

Ukraine is also ready for a prisoner exchange on an „all-for-all“ basis.

Serious steps are needed to return civilians and children who were removed during the war.

If you personally do not decide that this war should end, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence and will continue receiving support.

But you will increasingly have to fight for your own political survival.

That is not a threat. It is a lesson from Russian history: when Russia becomes tired, change comes.

We can work toward creating that fatigue.

You can stop your war.

Eternal memory to all whose lives were taken by this war.

Glory to Ukraine!

Маленький мышонок напуган.

He likely sees meeting Zelensky as destroying his entire MO over lands the Russian Empire previously controlled, but realistically what it really comes down to he’s just afraid of looking like a frail old man next to a hardened war-weary leader as well as providing fuel for discontent among Russians as the rationale for the war implodes.