Zelensky writes to Putin, the Kremlin replies "come to Moscow" — the truce held hostage by the St. Petersburg forum

On 4 June, an open letter from Zelensky was sent to Putin, proposing a ceasefire along the front line as well as a meeting. The Kremlin responded through Peskov: Putin had reportedly not yet seen the text, but Zelensky could come to Moscow “at any time.” In parallel, at the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin said he was “ready for compromises” on the basis of ideas attributed to Trump, who responded that a meeting “would be great” and claimed personal credit.

This sequence comes after more than three years of war, at a moment when several dynamics intersect. American diplomatic attention is largely absorbed by the Iran file, the Russian economy shows signs of strain, and a European axis is quietly reviving the idea of direct diplomacy with Moscow. The letter therefore shifts the diplomatic center of gravity more than the military balance: for the first time since 2022, a scenario without Washington at the core of the process is being openly discussed.

The essentials remain disputed. The actors agree on the facts — the letter exists, the Kremlin responded, Trump reacted — but diverge on their significance. Some read the invitation to Moscow as an opening worth testing, others as a provocation, and others still as a trap meant to divide Europe.

The location of a possible meeting is also contested: Moscow for the Kremlin, a third or neutral country for others, a European capital for some. No consensus emerges, and the sincerity of the announced opening remains uncertain.