Trump later posted on social media that there was a "very good chance" of reaching a resolution, citing a U.S.-proposed ceasefire that Ukraine had already accepted and was now under consideration by Russia. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin had sent a message to Trump via Witkoff regarding the ceasefire plan, expressing "cautious optimism" about the potential for an agreement.
As part of his diplomatic efforts, Trump also urged
Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops currently facing Russian forces in the Kursk region. He described the situation as dire, stating that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were "completely surrounded" and in a "very bad and vulnerable position." Calling for restraint, he warned of a possible "horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II."
Putin responded by saying that Russian forces would spare the Ukrainian troops if they surrendered, promising "life and decent treatment in accordance with international law and the laws of the Russian Federation." However, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s security council, took a harsher stance, warning that if the soldiers refused to lay down their arms, they would be "methodically and mercilessly destroyed."
Kyiv dismissed Russian claims of encirclement in Kursk, insisting that its forces had repositioned to better defensive locations. The Ukrainian general staff described reports of entrapment as "false and fabricated" for political purposes. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asserted that the Kursk operation had successfully diverted Russian forces from other key battlegrounds.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Trump's appeal to spare Ukrainian soldiers "extremely helpful and extremely important," but emphasized the need for long-term deterrence against future Russian aggression.
Trump continued to push for a ceasefire agreement, urging Putin to finalize the deal. While the Russian president stated that he supported the proposal in principle, he insisted that certain conditions must be met before halting military operations. Russia’s demands include Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions, limiting the size of its military, and ceding control of four contested regions—terms that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
