Zelenskyy's Dual Strategy: Peace Talks and 660-Drone Strike Signal a New Phase in the Ukraine-Russia War

This follows up on Zelenskyy's June 4 open letter to Putin proposing a direct meeting, a full ceasefire during negotiations, and prisoner exchange . That earlier letter stated: "Ukraine proposes to end this war. This must be done honestly, with dignity, and with guarantees that the war will not be reignited" .

The 660-Drone Strike — One of the Largest of the War

On the night of June 25–26, Ukraine launched what the Russian Defense Ministry described as the largest nighttime drone attack on Russian territory since the start of the full-scale invasion . Russia claimed its air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones over 12 Russian regions plus annexed Crimea, the Azov Sea, and the Black Sea . Targets included the Moscow region and a major chemical plant in the Tula region . NPR and multiple outlets confirmed it as one of Kyiv's biggest drone assaults of the war .

Russia's Parallel Strike on Kyiv

Simultaneously, Kyiv authorities reported a Russian ballistic missile attack overnight on June 26, while the drone barrage was underway .

Putin's Conditional Peace Offer (June 23)

On June 23, Putin stated Russia was ready for peace talks with Ukraine only on the basis of the 2022 Istanbul draft agreements . Those terms, as reported, required Ukraine to:

• Abandon NATO ambitions and adopt permanent neutrality
• Renounce nuclear weapons
• Reduce its armed forces to 85,000 personnel
• Restrict foreign troops and weapons on its territory

Putin also cited "current battlefield realities" and agreements allegedly reached with the U.S. in Anchorage (August 2025) as additional baselines . The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that Putin's framing amounts to maximalist demands for Ukrainian capitulation rather than a genuine compromise .

The 40-Day "Influence Operation" Strategy

On June 25, Zelenskyy formally approved a 40-day strategic "influence operation" by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) aimed at pressuring Russia to end the war . The precise tactics remain classified, but the plan directly leverages Ukraine's growing long-range strike capability — including drone strikes on Russian energy and military infrastructure — to compel Moscow to negotiate . The June 26 drone barrage appears to be a direct execution of this strategy .

How the Pieces Fit Together

The parallel developments form a coherent dual-track Ukrainian strategy:

• Diplomatic track: Zelenskyy publicly signals openness to direct talks, sends proposals through both Western partners and "Putin's friends," and frames the initiative as an honest bid for peace .
• Military-pressure track: The newly approved 40-day influence operation escalates deep-strike drone warfare to strain Russian air defenses, disrupt logistics, and demonstrate that the war's costs will keep rising for Moscow .

Putin's counter-position is conditional talks based on the 2022 Istanbul framework — terms Ukraine rejected then and still views as a demand for surrender . Russia continued its own strikes on Ukrainian cities throughout this period, including the ballistic missile attack on Kyiv .