Russia will guarantee Ukrainian troops safety in Kursk if Kyiv surrenders: Putin after Trump appeal

russian president vladimir putin chairs a security council meeting at the novo-ogaryovo residence outside moscow, russia, on friday, march 14, 2025. hours after u.s. president donald trump appealed to prevent a “horrible massacre,” putin announced that ukrainian troops surrounded in russia’s western kursk region would be spared if kyiv ordered them to surrender. ukraine, however, denied that its soldiers were encircled, calling it a russian fabrication. president volodymyr zelenskyy admitted the situation was “very difficult” but credited the kursk operation with drawing russian forces away from other battlefronts. trump, in a social media post, claimed that “thousands” of ukrainian troops were “completely surrounded” and urged putin to spare them, warning of a massacre “not seen since world war ii.” putin, responding during the security council meeting, stated he had read trump’s appeal. while accusing ukrainian forces of crimes against civilians—an allegation kyiv denies—putin said russia would ensure their safety and fair treatment under international law if they surrendered. “to effectively implement the appeal of the u.s. president, a corresponding order from the military-political leadership of ukraine is needed for its military units to lay down their arms,” putin said. #putin #trump #russiaukrainewar #worldwar3 #kurskbattle #ukrainecrisis #zelenskyy #breakingnews #warupdate #russia #ukraine #geopolitics #politicalnews #wartime #militaryconflict #kremlin #trendingnews #viralnews #securitycouncil #trumpnews #internationalpolitics #warzone