Russia claims Kursk victory as Ukraine disputes, Trump says peace deal 'close'

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday praised what he described as the complete collapse of Ukraine’s offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, following the expulsion of Ukrainian forces from the last village they were holding.

Speaking as diplomatic efforts led by the Trump administration to resolve the Ukraine conflict gained momentum, Putin said clearing Russian territory of Ukrainian troops paves the way for further advances inside Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had captured parts of the Kursk region last August in a surprise move that embarrassed Moscow. Since then, Russian troops, bolstered by reinforcements from North Korea, have been engaged in efforts to reclaim the territory.

”The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed,” Putin said in video footage released by the Kremlin that showed him receiving a report from the head of Russia’s military general staff, Valery Gerasimov.

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”The full defeat of the enemy in the Kursk border region creates conditions for further successful actions by our forces on other important parts of the front,” Putin added.

Gerasimov told Putin that the last occupied settlement in the Kursk region, the village of Gornal, had been ”liberated from Ukrainian units” on Saturday.

”Thus the defeat of the armed formations of the Ukrainian armed forces that had invaded the Kursk region has been completed,” Gerasimov said.

Ukrainian officials, however, said the fighting was still continuing. “The statements of representatives of the high command of the aggressor country about the alleged end of hostilities in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation are not true,” Ukraine’s General staff said Saturday.

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“The defensive operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in certain areas in the Kursk region continues. The operational situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold designated positions and carry out assigned tasks, while inflicting effective fire damage on the enemy with all types of weapons, including using active defense tactics,” it added.

Trump and Zelenskyy meet briefly at the Vatican

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met briefly Saturday before the funeral for Pope Francis as the American leader steps up the pressure to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s office had said teams were making arrangements for the leaders to talk again Saturday, but Trump went directly to the Rome airport after the funeral and boarded Air Force One for the 10-hour flight back to the United States, which seemed to rule out a second in-person conversation.

The White House said their discussion was “very productive” and that more details would be released later. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican just before they took their seats for the outdoor funeral service.

Zelenskyy said “good meeting” on social media after the funeral.

“We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,” he wrote. “Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you."

The meeting took place hours after Trump said on social media, after he arrived in Italy late Friday, that Russia and Ukraine should meet for “very high level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion.

With inputs from agencies