President Vladimir Putin urged the beleaguered Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk to “surrender,” while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Russian leader of attempting to sabotage a ceasefire initiative.
US President Donald Trump called on Putin to save the lives of the Ukrainian troops, stating that his envoy had engaged in “productive” conversations with the Russian leader regarding a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
In the past week, Russia has launched a swift counteroffensive in the western border region of Kursk, reclaiming much of the territory previously captured by Ukraine during a surprise incursion last August.
A school was destroyed by Russian bombing in Krasnopillia.
A defeat in Kursk would significantly hinder Ukraine’s strategy to leverage its control over the region as a bargaining tool in peace negotiations for the war that has been ongoing for three years.
“If they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be ensured life and dignified treatment,” Mr. Putin stated.
Mr. Trump remarked that “thousands” of Ukrainian soldiers were “completely surrounded by the Russian military and in a very precarious and vulnerable position.” He added, “I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would lead to a horrific massacre, one that hasn’t been seen since World War II.”
Ukraine’s military leadership refuted these claims, asserting through social media that “there is no threat of our units being encircled,” according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
An infographic depicting recent advancements of the Russian army in Kursk.
In comments to reporters in Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky provided a more cautious evaluation, stating, “The situation in the Kursk region is undeniably very challenging,” while maintaining that the campaign still held strategic significance.
He pointed out that Russia had been compelled to withdraw troops from other areas along the front lines, alleviating some of the pressure on Ukrainian forces striving to maintain control over the eastern logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Trump’s latest remarks followed an update on a meeting between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin regarding a US-Ukrainian proposal for a 30-day cessation of hostilities.
“We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a strong possibility that this horrific, bloody war can finally conclude,” Trump said through his Truth Social platform.
Ukraine losing grip.
On Thursday, Mr. Putin expressed that he had “serious questions” regarding the proposal and mentioned that developments in Kursk would influence future decisions related to a ceasefire.
Read more: Putin ‘sabotaging diplomacy’ over ceasefire conditions, says Zelensky.
Mr. Zelensky accused the Russian leader of attempting to undermine the ceasefire initiative.
“He is currently doing everything possible to sabotage diplomacy by imposing extremely difficult and unacceptable conditions right from the outset, even before a ceasefire,” Mr. Zelensky posted on X.
The Kremlin expressed cautious optimism about the potential for a deal but indicated that direct discussions between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin were necessary for progress to be made.
In a Fox News interview, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz remarked that the United States was feeling “some cautious optimism” following Mr. Witkoff’s visit.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at a G7 meeting in Canada that both parties must be willing to make “concessions.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accused President Vladimir Putin of seeking to undermine the ceasefire initiative.
The G7 foreign ministers cautioned Russia of new sanctions unless it accepted a ceasefire “on equal terms,” noting that potential sanctions might include “caps on oil prices, additional support for Ukraine, and other measures.”
France and Germany accused Russia of obstructing a ceasefire, and support for Ukraine was set to be discussed again in a video conference involving some European leaders and Mr. Zelensky today.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer remarked yesterday that Russia’s “total disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only illustrates that Putin is not genuinely committed to peace.”
Diplomatic sources indicated that EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas would propose that the 27-nation bloc allocate up to €40 billion ($43.5 billion) in new military aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine anticipated that its control over Kursk could serve as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Russia, with aspirations for a potential land swap, especially considering that Russia has occupied roughly a fifth of Ukraine since seizing Crimea in 2014 and initiated its military offensive in February 2022.
