Trump says he’s asked Putin to spare Ukrainian troops’ lives

President Trump said he strongly requested that Russian President Vladimir Putin spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded by Russian troops, in a statement posted to his social media site.

Trump described “good and productive” discussions between U.S. officials and the Russian leader, part of his effort to secure a ceasefire and halt fighting over three years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion against Ukraine. 

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

“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’s remarks come after his top envoy for negotiations Steve Witkoff left Moscow without an immediate agreement from Russia to halt fighting, and in particular, as Russian forces advance against Ukrainian troops on a key front in the Russian territory of Kursk. 

Ukraine’s top commander denied earlier this week that Ukrainian troops were being encircled in Kursk, Reuters reported, but said they were adopting better defensive positions. 

But Putin made a show of force by visiting Kursk on Wednesday and threatened that any Ukrainian troops encircled by Russian forces would have two choices “to surrender or die.”

Putin then received Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for negotiations, on Thursday and discussed the U.S.-proposal for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he agreed to the proposal, which includes a 30-day truce, a halt on missile and drone attacks and operations in the Black Sea and freezing the 600 mile-long front line. 

Putin asked Witkoff to give additional messages to Trump, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. 

“There are certainly some grounds for cautious optimism,” Peskov said of the ceasefire proposal, according to the Associated Press. “A lot still needs to be done, but the president has shown solidarity with President Trump’s position.”

Russian forces have advanced against Ukrainian forces in the Russian territory of Kursk, a small pocket of land that Ukraine captured in an audacious operation that more firmly brought the war directly onto Russian territory. Along with Russian gains there, Russian forces have made incremental progress on the front lines.