Ucraine War Last: Trump and Putin Call are “going well,” says the White House.

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, Reuters

When evaluating how and when Vladimir Putin will agree with a high fire in Ukraine, it is important to see what is happening in the field in the Kursk region of Russia.

The Ukrainian troops launched a mini invasion last August, capturing a part of the region, to the surprise of kyiv’s allies and the shame of Moscow.

With the help of around 10,000 North Korean troops, Russia has been fighting, gradually pushing Ukraine forces towards the border.

That task is now almost complete.

“The Ukrainian army thought they could keep Kursk as a negotiation chip in the negotiations, and unfortunately, that has not come out,” said Jack Watling, a senior researcher at the Royal United Services Institute to the BBC.

“The Russians have been able to close the projection and expel them from the Russian territory just before the key negotiations begin.”

It is not just a diplomatic setback. Around 60,000 Russian troops were deployed in Kursk, linking valuable resources and helping to delay Moscow’s advance along the long Eastern Front of Ukraine.

Once the last Ukrainian forces have been expelled from Kursk, those Russian troops will be available again for operations in other places, increasing military pressure on kyiv.

Ukraine was struggling to keep territory in Kursk even before the Trump administration decision to retain military and intelligence assistance.

But although both were quickly restored, the suspension came at a critical moment and probably helped accelerate the retreat of Ukraine.