It’s been six months since Ukraine launched its surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region and its forces are still in control of a big chunk of the ceased territory – and as calls for peace negotiations grow louder,

Putin’s failure to expel Ukraine’s army from Russian territory may gain added significance as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a deal to end the war. While Russian troops continue to gradually advance on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv retains a bargaining chip in Kursk for a potential exchange of territory at any talks.

The U.S. special envoy to Russia and Ukraine said Thursday the U.S. plans to significantly step up pressure on Russia through sanctions to end the war in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with the New York Post,

A destroyed Russian tank sits on a roadside near the town of Sudzha, Russia, in the Kursk region, 16 August 2024