Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday declared Ukraine’s offensive in Russia’s Kursk region a total failure after Ukrainian troops were driven out of their final bastion. His comments came as diplomatic efforts, spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, picked up to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
In a Kremlin video released on Sunday, Putin thanked Russian soldiers for taking back the border area, saying it set good conditions for future action deeper within Ukraine. “The adventure of the Kyiv regime has completely failed,” Putin said as he was being briefed by General Valery Gerasimov, who leads Russia’s military staff. Gerasimov said that the last occupied village, Gornal, was retaken on Saturday.
But Ukraine’s General Staff rejected the Russian assertions, saying that fighting continued. “The situation is still complicated, but our troops are holding and causing heavy losses to the enemy,” the Ukrainian military stated.
Meanwhile, President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a brief encounter at the Vatican prior to the funeral of Pope Francis. Their 15-minute discussion at St. Peter’s Basilica was termed “very productive” by the White House and more details are to be released later.
Zelenskyy subsequently tweeted that they talked of the necessity to have a full and unconditional ceasefire and establish an enduring peace in order to stop future wars. He referred to it as “very symbolic” meeting with potential to be “historic” should it bear fruit.
The meeting came after Trump had urged Russia and Ukraine to have “very high-level talks” to settle the current three-year war, which was fueled by Russia’s invasion.
