Amid ongoing cease-fire negotiations, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday demanded that Ukrainian forces in Kursk surrender, escalating tensions in the conflict. His statement followed an appeal from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed he had urged Putin to spare Ukrainian soldiers in the region.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, described his discussions with Putin as “very good and productive” and expressed hope that a cease-fire could be reached. However, Putin responded by asserting that for Ukrainian troops to be spared, Kyiv would need to order their immediate surrender.
The claim that Ukrainian troops were encircled in Kursk has been strongly contested. Ukrainian officials dismissed the reports as Russian propaganda, with Ukraine’s military calling them “false and fabricated.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the situation, emphasized the resilience of Ukrainian troops while condemning Putin’s latest demands. “The situation is very difficult,” he admitted. “Putin is making extreme and unacceptable conditions even before a cease-fire can be discussed. He is doing everything possible to sabotage diplomacy.”
The renewed fighting in Kursk has made the region central to cease-fire discussions, with Russian forces reportedly advancing in recent days. Putin has ordered his troops to complete their offensive “as quickly as possible,” increasing pressure on Ukraine. Meanwhile, heavy Russian bombardments have led to evacuations in Sumy, a Ukrainian region bordering Kursk.
While Ukraine and the United States have proposed a 30-day unconditional cease-fire, Putin has continued to insist on additional conditions, including the surrender of Ukrainian forces in Kursk. The Russian leader met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict, with both sides expressing “cautious optimism” about negotiations.
