Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump touts ‘pretty good news’ on ceasefire as Putin’s forces close in on retaking Kursk
Donald Trump hailed “very good calls” with Russia on a potential 30-day ceasefire but admitted there was still “a long way to go”.
At a press conference on Friday night, the US president said that talks with Moscow were making progress. “I think we have had some good results. But there is still a long way to go. The fighting is unbelievable,” he said.
Appearing to reference Russia’s advance in the Kursk border region, Mr Trump said he had asked Vladimir Putin “not to kill those surrounded soldiers” of Ukraine.
Mr Putin said Russian forces would spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk if Kyiv told them to surrender.
Volodymyr Zelensky urged his Western allies to apply pressure on Moscow while reiterating his belief that Mr Putin would delay reaching a ceasefire as long as possible.
Reports suggested that Russian forces had recaptured Sudzha in Kursk, the largest town seized by Ukrainian forces during their unexpected cross-border incursion last year.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the Ukrainian military, said on Thursday Russia had carried out multiple airstrikes on Kursk, almost destroying Sudzha.
