Why Zelensky's letter wasn't about Putin as Kremlin rejects meeting (opens in new tab)

President Volodymyr Zelensky's letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin was never meant only for the man whose name was written at the top. According to a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the planning, the message was aimed at a much wider audience, including Putin's inner circle, Russian elites increasingly weary of the war, and even ordinary Russian citizens. The letter, sent on June 4, marked the first direct outreach from Zelensky to Putin since 2022. In it, the Ukrainian presiden