US group headed to Moscow for Ukraine talks as Putin visits Kursk

US officers are headed to Russia to debate a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, in line with President Donald Trump.

The information comes after Ukrainian officers agreed to a 30-day ceasefire following a extremely anticipated assembly with US officers in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that the “ball is actually of their [Russia’s] courtroom” and that the US believes the one solution to finish the combating was by peace negotiations.

The American go to comes as President Vladimir Putin visited Russia’s Kursk area – elements of which have been beneath Ukraine’s management since an incursion final yr.

Russian TV aired footage of Putin assembly army commanders, who advised him Russian troops had recaptured 86% of the world from Ukraine.

Following the assembly in Jeddah on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned it was now as much as the US to persuade Russia to comply with the “optimistic” proposal.

The Kremlin has mentioned it was learning the ceasefire deal, and {that a} telephone name between Trump and Putin is feasible.

Talking alongside Eire’s Taoiseach – or Prime Minister – Micheál Martin within the Oval Workplace on Wednesday, Trump mentioned he had obtained “optimistic messages” about the potential of a ceasefire.

“However a optimistic message means nothing,” he mentioned. “This can be a very severe scenario.”

Trump didn’t specify which officers had been travelling to Moscow.

Nonetheless, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt advised reporters on the White Home that Nationwide Safety Secretary Mike Waltz had spoken to his Russian counterpart.

Earlier this week, a supply acquainted with the matter advised the BBC that Center East envoy Steve Witkoff would head to Moscow for negotiations following the talks in Jeddah.

The White Home confirmed the plans on Wednesday.

“We urge the Russians to signal on to this plan. That is the closest we’ve got been to peace on this conflict,” Leavitt mentioned.

The Kremlin has mentioned it’s learning the proposed ceasefire and additional particulars, which spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned will come “by way of numerous channels” over the course of the subsequent a number of days.

Within the Oval Workplace, Trump mentioned that he believes a ceasefire would make sense for Russia, including – with out additional particulars – that there’s a “lot of draw back to Russia” as properly.

“Now we have a really complicated scenario solved on one aspect. Just about solved. We have additionally mentioned land and different issues that go together with it,” Trump added. “We all know the areas of land we’re speaking about, whether or not it is pull again or not pull again.”

To stress Russia, Trump mentioned that he “can do issues financially”.

“That may be very unhealthy for Russia,” he mentioned. “I do not wish to do this as a result of I wish to get peace.”

The assembly in Jeddah was the primary between US and Ukrainian officers since a 28 February assembly between Zelensky, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance descended right into a shouting match and, finally, a pause in US army help and intelligence sharing.

The pause was lifted following the assembly in Jeddah, and Trump mentioned that he believes that the “tough” Ukrainian aspect and Zelensky now need peace.

Whilst negotiations over a possible ceasefire are ongoing, combating has raged in Ukraine.

Russian drones and missiles reportedly struck targets in Kryvyy Rih – Zelensky’s hometown – in a single day, in addition to within the port metropolis of Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv.

Clashes additionally continued in Russia’s Kursk area, the place Peskov mentioned Russian troops had been “efficiently advancing” and recapturing areas held by Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainian troops invaded the area of western Russia that borders Ukraine, in a shock assault in August final yr. At its peak, Ukraine claimed to have captured 100 cities and villages – however since then, Russia has retaken most of that territory.

He was proven in footage launched by the Kremlin strolling alongside his army chief Valery Gerasimov.

Russian media report that Putin ordered the army to “totally liberate” the area in the course of the go to. He’s but to touch upon the ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine and the US on Tuesday.

The top of Ukraine’s army, Oleksandr Syrsky, additionally indicated on Wednesday that a few of its troops had been withdrawing from Kursk. In a publish on Telegram, he mentioned: “In essentially the most tough scenario, my precedence has been and stays saving the lives of Ukrainian troopers.”