Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately delaying negotiations on a Ukraine ceasefire, claiming that Moscow aims to ensure diplomacy collapses so that the conflict continues.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military has refuted claims that its forces are encircled in Russia’s Kursk region. This denial comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of what he described as thousands of “surrounded” Ukrainian troops.
In response to Trump’s plea, Putin stated that Russia would allow Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk to live, provided they surrender and lay down their weapons.
During a press briefing following the G7 summit in Canada, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed cautious optimism regarding a potential Ukraine ceasefire but emphasized that further efforts are required to finalize an agreement.
Trump had earlier noted that discussions between the United States and Putin, held in Moscow on Thursday, had been “good and productive.”
The war in Ukraine began with Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago. Since then, the conflict has evolved significantly, with ongoing military engagements and diplomatic efforts attempting to bring an end to the hostilities.