In an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was willing to meet face-to-face and end the Ukraine war "through direct engagement between us."

"Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations," he added in the letter published on the Ukrainian presidency's website.

In one of the few times Zelenskyy has reached out directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukrainian leader said Russians were getting tired of the conflict, and warned Ukraine would "continue fighting for its existence" if Putin did not "personally come to the conclusion that it ⁠is time to end this war."

Putin projects confidence

Zelenskyy's letter comes as Putin on Thursday told the heads of international news agencies at a St. Petersburg economic conference that Russia still holds the upper hand in the war.

"Russian troops are advancing along the entire front," Putin said during his remarks.

"The offensive is ongoing on a daily basis," he said, while claiming that Russia has "full control" of the "Luhansk People's Republic" and controls over 85% of "Donetsk People's Republic," which are two eastern Ukrainian regions Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2022.

Putin's figures match with that of independent Western analysis, including from Harvard University's Russia Matters think tank, which estimates Russia also controls 75% of Zaporizhzhia and 65% of Kherson, the two other illegally annexed Ukrainian regions.

Heavy Russian losses

Despite Putin's claims, Russia's advances on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine have largely stalled, as Ukraine has saturated the front lines with drones, bogging down Moscow's troops.

Russia has instead increased long-range missile and drone attacks that have killed dozens of Ukrainians in cities across the country in recent weeks.

The latest data cited by Harvard University's Russia Matters project showed that in March and April 2026, Russia suffered its first net loss of territorial control in Ukraine for the first time since late 2023.

On Thursday, Putin admitted that Russia needed to more to protect against Ukrainian drones, but added he thinks time is on Moscow's side, and that Ukraine does not have enough manpower.

Analysis by Western think thanks, governments and NATO currently estimate that 30,000 Russian troops are being killed every month in Ukraine. Kyiv does not provide regular casualty numbers of its troops.

On Wednesday in Kyiv, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appeared alongside Zelenskyy and cited these casualty numbers, while warning young Russians they would likely be wounded or killed if they joined the war.

Putin says Russia willing to 'compromise'

Although he told journalists Thursday that Russia is "prepared and willing to reach an agreement with Ukraine through peaceful means," Putin has shown no sign he is willing to back off on demands, including that Ukraine give up the entire Donbas region.

Putin cited what he called "compromises" reached during his summit with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska last year.

Those included Ukraine giving up its NATO aspirations, and for Crimea to be officially recognized as Russian territory.

"The ​Ukrainian side must also agree to these compromises. Then the conflict will quickly come to a natural conclusion," Putin said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin hadn’t seen the letter yet.

"Zelenskyy can come at any time to Moscow," he said.

After several rounds of US-led negotiations failed to yield any breakthrough, the Trump administration has largely stepped away from mediating the war, while removing most direct military support to Kyiv.

On Thursday, Trump said "I think it would be great if they met. They should ... get it done."

Edited by: Zac Crellin