US President Donald Trump has said discussions about a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine were ‘very good’ – and pleaded with Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

Yesterday, Trump warned Vladimir Putin over ‘very bad’ consequences if Russia didn’t get on board the 30-day ceasefire proposal.

In a new post on Truth Social, he said: ‘We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION.

‘I have strongly requested that President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!’

Putin, dressed in a military uniform, appeared on Kremlin TV during a visit to the Kursk region yesterday where a battle between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing since last summer.

Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he is willing to accept a proposal for a ceasefire – but only if the US convinces Russia to accept it as well.

Just hours after plans for a ceasefire were discussed, Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih – Zelensky’s hometown – where a 47-year-old woman was killed and five others injured.

Odesa and Dnipro were also hit by rockets, damaging homes and injuring at least one person.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said ‘the ball’ is in Russia’s court now.

What has Putin said about the ceasefire plan?

Russia is yet to accept the ceasefire proposal. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, said it is important not to ‘get ahead’ of the question of responding to the proposal, Reuters reports.

Putin made a visit to the Kursk region at the frontline of the Russia-Ukraine war. Dressed in a military outfit, he told the troops that his goal is to ‘completely liberate’ the occupied region.

Kursk, which borders the Ukrainian Sumy region, was taken by Ukrainian troops in a surprise move on August 6 last year – the first time since the Second World War Russian territory has been occupied.

Defiant Putin, appearing on Russian TV, swore to treat Ukrainian soldiers captured in Kursk as ‘terrorists’ instead of prisoners of war.

He also signalled that he wants a demilitarised zone on the Ukrainian border.

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