Zelensky proposes face-to-face meeting with Putin
6/5/202629 min
Volodymyr Zelensky has written to Vladimir Putin inviting him to a face-to-face meeting with the aim of negotiating an end to their war. In an open letter to the Russian leader, the Ukrainian President said it would be "wrong to simply wait" until the war in Europe becomes the focus of the US's attention once again.
Also: President Trump says he's spoken directly to Hezbollah about a possible end to the fighting in Lebanon, despite the US categorising the Iran-backed militia as a foreign terror organization. Some families of those who died in the Air India crash in 2025 have told the BBC the airline has offered them a final compensation settlement, if they give up their right to sue the company or its suppliers in future. A Nepali climbing guide is found alive on Mount Everest after surviving almost a week alone. Intelligence agencies warn that Chinese agents are posing as online recruiters to trick western governments and military personnel into disclosing state secrets. Scientists report that the world's mangrove forests are showing signs of recovery after decades of destruction. Plus, a lipstick worn by Marilyn Monroe and her recipe for stuffing are just some of the items belonging to the Hollywood star that have sold for thousands of dollars at auction.
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Credit: Photo by SERGEY DOLZHENKO/EPA/Shutterstock (16910105s) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Rutte in Kyiv, Ukraine, 03 June 2026. Rutte arrived in Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials amid the Russian invasion. NATO Secretary General Rutte visits Kyiv, Ukraine - 03 Jun 2026
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First 90 secondsWill Chalk· Host0:00
This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. [upbeat music] I'm Will Chalk. And in the early hours of Friday, the 5th of June, these are our main stories. Ukraine's President Zelensky has written to Vladimir Putin, inviting him to a face-to-face meeting to negotiate an end to their war. President Trump says he's spoken directly to the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah, officially designated in the US as a foreign terrorist organization, about a possible end to fighting in Lebanon. A year on from one of the world's deadliest air disasters, grieving families tell the BBC their compensation is not being handled fairly by Air India. [upbeat music] Also in this podcast.
Speaker 10:46
How he went across the Khumbu Icefall with no ladders beggars belief. That takes it from a sort of utterly brutal ninja feat of endurance to just something else just incredible.
Will Chalk· Host1:00
Yeah, an amazing story. The Nepali climbing guide thought to have died on Everest last week reaches base camp alive after six days exposed on the mountain. [upbeat music] So we start with an open letter to President Putin. It's over 1,800 words long, and in it, President Zelensky invites the Russian leader to a face-to-face meeting in a renewed bid to try and end the war. It's been translated