Putin claims to have “read Trump’s appeal,” demands Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk surrender

Russian news agency Interfax reported the information.

“I would like to mention that we have read today’s appeal by U.S. President Trump to spare the lives of Ukrainian army servicemen, whose units are blocked by Russian troops in the zone of Ukrainian forces’ invasion in the Kursk region,” Putin said.

The Kremlin leader stated that for him to act on this request, Ukraine should order its military units to lay down their arms and surrender.

According to him, “In the case of surrendering their arms, Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region will be guaranteed their lives and decent treatment.”

Putin also remarked that the Trump administration is “doing everything to restore at least something in relations between Russia and the United States.” “We’ll see whether it will yield results,” the Kremlin leader added.

• On March 14, Trump published a post in which he stated that he had “strongly requested” to President Putin that Ukrainian soldiers’ lives “be spared.”
• On March 14, Ukraine’s General Staff informed that there was no threat of encirclement of the Ukrainian military in the Kursk region. Over the past day, the situation in this area has not changed significantly.