Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Vladimir Putin of “lying” about the situation on the battlefield, in an apparent response to the Russian autocrat’s claim that Ukrainian troops are surrounded in Kursk.
“Putin is lying about the real situation on the battlefield, he is lying about the casualties… and he is doing everything possible to ensure that diplomacy fails,” Mr Zelensky said in a long-winded X post which accused Moscow of deliberately sabotaging peace efforts.
It comes after US president Donald Trump hailed “very good and productive” talks held between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow late on Thursday.
But Mr Trump asked the Russian president to spare “thousands” of Ukrainian troops who were “completely surrounded” – also appearing to reference Russia’s advance in Kursk.
Putin yesterday claimed that Kyiv’s troops were surrounded in Kursk following Russia’s lightning offensive, adding that they faced two options: surrender or die.
Ukraine’s military has rejected the suggestions as “false”, adding that its troops have pulled back to “more favourable” positions and are not at risk of being encircled.
In the post on X, Mr Zelensky accused Putin of “sabotaging” peace efforts by failing to commit to the 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kyiv.
Zelensky: US strength is enough to end the war
Volodymyr Zelensky’s long X post, which started off by marking Ukraine’s recently-established Military Volunteer Day, also made clear that the US has the power to put an end to the war in Ukraine.
“It is our partners’ responsibility to ensure that Russia is ready to end the war – not to look for reasons why it should continue for more weeks, months, or years, but to end it,” he wrote.
“Putin will not end the war on his own. But the strength of America is enough to make it happen.”
He accused Putin of attempting to “sabotage diplomacy by setting extremely difficult and unacceptable conditions”, adding that “strong pressure must be applied to the only one who wants to continue this war”.
Zelensky: Putin is ‘lying’ about the battlefield situation
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of “lying” about the battlefield situation between Russia and Ukraine.
It appears to be a response to Putin’s claim that Kyiv’s troops are surrounded in Kursk, where the Ukrainian military has been forced back after a rapid Russian offensive.
Putin said in a press conference yesterday that the troops face two options: surrender or die.
“Putin is lying about the real situation on the battlefield, he is lying about the casualties, he is lying about the true state of his economy, which has been damaged by his foolish imperial ambitions, and he is doing everything possible to ensure that diplomacy fails,” Mr Zelensky wrote in a long X post discussing recent diplomacy efforts.
Downing Street criticises Russia’s ‘nebulous responses’ to ceasefire deal
Downing Street has criticised Russia’s response to a ceasefire proposal ahead of further ‘Coalition of the willing’ talks this weekend.
A spokesperson for Number 10 said: “I think the nebulous responses are coming from Russia, the ball is in their court.
“There is a proposal there and in the mean time we are concentrating with our international partners on the best way to drive progress to secure that just and lasting peace.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is hosting a virtual summit over the weekend to continue discussions about a potential “coalition of the willing” to help Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
The UK is jointly leading a plan to support Ukraine’s security, the spokesperson said, and the priority remains on achieving a “long, lasting and secure peace”.
It follows a G7 foreign ministers meeting earlier today in Canada, and a defence ministers meeting earlier this week in Paris.
Zelensky says Russia deliberately trying to ‘drag out’ ceasefire process
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “deliberately” trying to drag out the ceasefire process, saying Moscow wants the war to continue.
“The exchange of prisoners and an unconditional 30-day full interim ceasefire are the first quick steps that could significantly bring us closer to a just and lasting peace. Ukraine is ready to take these steps because the Ukrainian people want peace more than anyone,” Mr Zelensky said on X.
“Meanwhile, the world sees how Russia is deliberately setting conditions that only complicate and drag out the process, as Russia is the only party that wants the war to continue and diplomacy to break down.”
Russia’s counterattack in Kursk
Here’s what that front currently looks like.
Trump asked Putin to spare “thousands” of encircled troops. Where are they?
Donald Trump says he has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of “thouands of Ukrainian troops” who were “completely surrounded by the Russian military”.
“I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II,” he said on his Truth Social.
It’s most likely Mr Trump is referring to Kursk.
In that border region, Russia launched a rapid counteroffensive last week, reclaiming hundreds of square miles worth of territory and pushing Ukrainian forces back to the border.
They have not been surrounded, as Mr Trump claims. The latest reports suggest the remaining troops are being evacuated out of the shrinking salient.
The source of Mr Trump’s claims appears to be Mr Putin himself.
During a speech yesterday, the Russian leader claimed that Russia had trapped the remaining Ukrainian soldiers in its western Kursk region, where they have clung on for more than seven months in one of the key battles of the war.
Trump says US had ‘very good and productive’ talks with Putin
Donald Trump said the US talks with Putin yesterday were productive but warned “thousands” of Ukrainian troops were in danger of being massacred by Russia.
“We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!”
G7 allies call for “ceasefire with no conditions’
David Lammy says G7 allies are united in their belief that “now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions”.
Speaking after a meeting with his foreign minister counterparts in Canada, Mr Lammy said there was plenty of “common ground” in the discussions.
“I think that there is a unified approach that we need an enduring peace that lasts, I think that there is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions,” the foreign secretary said.
“Ukraine has set their position out. It is now for Russia to accept it. I think that there is a coalition of the willing emerging to give Ukraine the security architecture and arrangements that they need, and to get into the detail of any monitoring of that ceasefire, going forward.”
Lammy said there would soon be a detailed statement from the ministers on the crisis.
Trump blames Biden for ‘real mess with Russia’
Donald Trump has blamed his predecessor for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a spray on his social media site.
“Crooked Joe Biden got us into a real ‘mess’ with Russia (and EVERYTHING ELSE!), but I’m going to get us out,” he said on Truth Social.
“Millions of people are needlessly dead, never to be seen again…and there will be many more to follow if we don’t get the Cease Fire and Final Agreement with Russia completed and signed.
“There would have been NO WAR if I were President. It just, 100%, would not have happened.”
Trump also blamed high inflation, the Hamas October 7 attack on Israel, the “embassassing” pull-out of Afghanistan and “illegal” immigration on the former president.
“Oh, what a difference A RIGGED & CROOKED ELECTION HAD ON OUR COUNTRY, AND THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS TO US SHOULD GO TO JAIL! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he said.
Comment | Putin must sign – or go down as the first Russian leader in a century to concede territory
It seems that maybe Vladimir Putin doesn’t “have something” on Donald Trump after all.
There are “positive messages” emanating from Moscow, Trump has told reporters, but “a positive message means nothing” – a rare moment of cynicism towards Putin from a president who has hitherto appeared unaccountably indulgent towards the Russian autocrat.
Sean O’Grady writes:
Source: independent.co.uk