Just hours after US president Donald Trump appealed to Russian president Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded in the Kursk region, Putin on Friday called on Ukrainian troops to surrender. “We are sympathetic to President Trump’s call,” Putin said in televised remarks.
“If they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment,” Putin added, calling on Ukraine’s leaders to issue an order to their troops to surrender.
Putin had earlier stated that the situation in Kursk was under Russian control and that Ukrainian soldiers had only two options: surrender or die if a physical blockade were to occur. Putin said Ukrainian soldiers were cut off inside the invasion zone. “And if a physical blockade occurs in the coming days, then no one will be able to leave at all, there will be only two ways – to surrender or die.”
Also read: ‘Good chance war can finally end’: Trump urges Putin to spare Ukrainian lives
Ukraine’s top commander denied this week that his men were being encircled, but said they were adopting better defensive positions.
Putin’s call comes after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, urged the Russian president to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainian troops, warning of a potential massacre comparable to those seen in World War II. He emphasized the dire situation faced by these troops, who he claimed were completely surrounded by Russian forces.
“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 — 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!!!,” Trump said.
Putin’s ultimatum also comes as Russia continues to regain control over the Kursk region, which Ukrainian forces had occupied since August 2023.
Despite Ukraine’s denial that its troops are encircled, Putin’s statement reflects Russia’s military pressure on Ukrainian forces.
On Thursday, Putin had also expressed support for a ceasefire but with conditions that would lead to long-term peace and address the root causes of the conflict.

Ceasefire deal

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had asked US envoy Steve Witkoff to convey Moscow’s thoughts on the ceasefire deal to Washington.
Putin asked Witkoff to give additional messages to Trump, Peskov told reporters, after the Russian leader said at a news conference that he supported a truce in principle but set out a host of details that need to be clarified before it is agreed.
Earlier in the day, Trump had said the US held “very good and productive” discussions with Putin. In a post on his Truth Social site on Friday, Trump said “that there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end”.
A possible phone call between Putin and Trump to settle outstanding ceasefire issues could be arranged after Witkoff delivers the messages in Washington, Peskov said. “There is an understanding on both sides that such a call is needed,” Peskov said.
“There are certainly some grounds for cautious optimism,” Peskov said of the ceasefire proposal. “A lot still needs to be done, but the president has shown solidarity with President Trump’s position.”

Zelenskyy attacks Putin

Meanwhile, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Putin on Friday of sabotaging diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine, over the Russian leader’s response to a US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
“He is now doing everything he can to sabotage diplomacy by setting extremely difficult and unacceptable conditions right from the start even before a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
Zelenskyy said the US could exert sufficient pressure on Russia to stop its invasion because, he said, Putin “will not end the war on his own”.
“The strength of America is enough to make it happen. Strong steps are needed. Strong pressure must be applied to the only one who wants to continue this war,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media.
(With inputs from agencies)