Ukraine's military denies the encirclement of its forces in Kursk, after Trump asks Putin to spare the lives of thousands "surrounded" by Russia's military.

Russia’s president appeared to hedge his bets on the issue of a Ukrainian ceasefire, saying it was a good idea but refusing to implement it, for now. That keeps the dialogue open with Donald Trump, but it means the war continues.

Speaking a day later alongside Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko — who brokered two failed processes to end Putin’s initial invasion of Ukraine a decade ago — the Russian president said any ceasefire would simply let Kyiv’s forces regroup just as Moscow is close to driving them out of Kursk.