Volodymyr Zelensky has sent an open letter to Vladimir Putin, proposing direct face-to-face talks to end the war. The letter, over 1,800 words long, offers a meeting on neutral ground - Switzerland or Turkey - with a full ceasefire during the talks. A gesture that sounds conciliatory, but comes at a moment when each side is still trying to negotiate from a position of strength, not exhaustion.

Zelensky's tone is a mix of offer and jab. „Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us,” he writes, but he also adds a line that is hard to read as diplomatic: „We in Ukraine are not overly concerned about the fate of Russian soldiers.” And at the end, almost a dare: „Don't be afraid to take the path out of this war.” When an offer of peace carries a sting, is it really an offer - or a message for the audience?

The Kremlin's reaction was cautious and cold. Putin, even before seeing the letter, posed the old question: „Is Mr Zelensky even a legitimate representative of Ukraine?” The Kremlin confirmed the letter had been received and that Putin would be informed, but repeated that any meeting must be held in Moscow. In other words - let's negotiate, but on my turf. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

The timing is no accident. The letter arrived while Putin was at an economic forum in St Petersburg, a day after Ukraine carried out drone strikes. The negotiations have been stuck for months, despite attempts in Geneva, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul. For the Balkans, which remember well how long „negotiations” drag on when both sides still believe they can win more on the ground - this letter looks less like an ending and more like another round of the same game.