Ukraine has denied Russian claims that it has been forced out of Russia's Kursk region.Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russia's military, said his forces had regained full control of the region, eight months after Ukrainian forces first launched a surprise incursion into the border region,

All Ukrainian troops have been forced from Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Saturday. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that his country has regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Ukraine’s army says fighting continues.

Kyiv is working with allies on security guarantees akin to NATO's mutual protection pledge, Ukraine's president Volodymr Zelensky has said. Officials from Ukraine and allies the U.S., the U.K., France and Germany met in London on Thursday in a week when a peace proposal was produced which outlined an Article 5-like agreement which would be backed by Washington.

President Donald Trump is calling for Ukraine and Russia to meet for “very high level talks,” saying they are “very close to a deal” after productive meetings.

The president’s comments came after he said Crimea “will stay with Russia,” a position backed by the mayor of Kyiv, who conceded that his country may have to give up territory.