Ukraine’s Zelensky in open letter to Russian President Putin calls for direct talks to end war

Ukraine’s president has issued a rare open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, combining sharp criticism of Russia’s war effort with a proposal for direct negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that has entered its fifth year. In the letter published on June 4, the Ukrainian leader accused Putin of launching a “war without a real cause” and urged him to agree to face-to-face talks in a neutral country to seek a lasting settlement. Ukraine Blames Putin for Choosing War The Ukrainian president argued that relations between Kyiv and Moscow have been fundamentally transformed during Putin’s 26 years in power….