President Trump has again urged Russia to show leniency towards Ukrainian soldiers trapped within Russian territory.
Trump expressed disbelief at how Russian forces managed to encircle a large number of Ukrainian troops, despite the significant financial and military aid provided by the U.S. to Ukraine.
In August 2024, Ukraine launched a major offensive into Russia’s Kursk Region, seizing Sudzha and numerous villages, reportedly to gain leverage in future peace negotiations. As of Wednesday evening, Russian forces had regained control of 86% of the territory, with the remaining Ukrainian troops largely “encircled” and “isolated,” according to the Russian Defense Ministry, which did not specify the number of troops trapped.
During a speech at the Justice Department on Friday, Trump stated that Russia has a significant number of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded and in danger. He also claimed that his predecessor, Joe Biden, should have prevented the war from happening.
Trump advised against provoking a much larger adversary, even with substantial financial and military support. He acknowledged the quality of U.S. military equipment but expressed astonishment at the situation, despite the aid provided.
Following discussions in Saudi Arabia this week, which Zelensky did not attend, Ukraine agreed to a U.S.-proposed 30-day truce. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff presented the details of the proposal to Moscow on Thursday.
Putin indicated that Moscow was open to the idea but emphasized the need to resolve several issues beforehand, including the fate of the Ukrainian forces that had entered Russian territory.
Trump conveyed optimism regarding the signals from Moscow, noting in a separate interview on Friday that negotiations were progressing “reasonably” well. He added that further information would be available on Monday and expressed hope for a positive outcome.