Putin signals willingness for peace deal with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia can secure control of the Donbas region while still moving toward a peace agreement with Ukraine. He claimed Russia now holds about 85% of Donetsk and 80% of Zaporizhzhia, and stressed that Russian forces are advancing throughout Ukraine.

Putin told journalists at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum that Moscow is ready to sign a peace treaty with Ukraine’s “legitimate representatives,” adding that a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky could be possible. He also referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as potential mediators, while stating the European Union cannot act as a mediator but may assist.

In response, President Zelensky publicly invited Putin to a face‑to‑face meeting, proposing an immediate ceasefire and asking the United States to supervise any truce. Zelensky’s open letter emphasized that “the fighting is ending, the choice is now yours.”