Putin favorable to ceasefire, wants further negotiation

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday told reporters that he agreed in principle with a U.S.-led ceasefire plan but was not ready to sign it. Putin argued the plan needs further negotiation to address the root causes of the war with Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Putin’s reaction was promising but not complete. He stressed the urgency of finishing the deal. The ceasefire proposal calls for a 30-day cessation of all fighting and immediate peace talks. Kyiv agreed to the plan on Tuesday following meetings in Saudi Arabia with U.S. negotiators.

What's the latest news on the ground? Russian troops have regained control of the town of Sudzha in the Kursk border region, driving out Ukrainian forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday in a statement online. In a surprise attack, more than 600 Russian soldiers crept into the town through a gas pipeline, Russian state news reported. Earlier this week, Ukraine launched a mass drone attack on Moscow.

Putin visited the Kursk region late Wednesday, asking his forces there to prioritize the complete expulsion of Ukrainian troops, the Moscow Times reported. Russia claimed to have retaken 24 settlements in the Kursk region over the last five days that were held by Kyiv.

Ukraine did not directly confirm the Russian claims. But Ukrainian Commander-In-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a Facebook post late Wednesday that fighting around Sudzha was ongoing. Syrskyi also said that Russia was carrying out airstrikes on its own town to repel Ukrainian troops and they might need to reposition to preserve their lives.