Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Guardian that if negotiations with Russia took place, he would plan to propose an exchange of occupied territories to Moscow.
Zelenskyy explained that he would offer Moscow Kursk Oblast, currently under Ukrainian control, in exchange for temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, should US President Donald Trump facilitate Russia’s involvement in the talks.
“We will swap one territory for another. I don’t know, we will see. But all our territories are important, there is no priority,” he stated, though not specifying which Ukrainian territory, temporarily occupied by Russia, Kyiv would request in return.
In August 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a significant cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, marking the first such operation since World War II.
This surprise offensive aimed to divert Russian military resources from other frontlines, alleviate pressure on Ukrainian territories, and challenge the perceived invulnerability of Russian borders.
Last week, Russian sources revealed that Ukraine’s defense forces launched a new offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Based on posts from Russian military bloggers, Ukrainian forces attacked southeast of the city of Sudzha, where the front line was closest to the key town.
One Russian propaganda channel claimed that Ukrainian troops took control of the small village of Cherkasskaya Konopelka, which was previously in the “gray zone.”
Russia says Ukrainian forces expand its Kursk Oblast offensive, seizing more villages
The nearby hamlet of Fanasiivka was also reportedly contested. Additionally, a Ukrainian column allegedly advanced toward the village of Russkaya Konopelka, located slightly further north. Ukraine was actively using armored vehicles in the assault.
Related:
- Frontline report: Russia’s Kursk offensive crumbles as North Koreans pull back
- Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1076: North Korean troops decimated in Kursk Oblast counteroffensive
- ISW: Russian advances slow despite maintaining high casualty rates
- South Korea’s Intelligence confirms North Korean troops’ withdrawal from Kursk Oblast after heavy losses
