Ukraine-Russia ceasefire latest: Trump says US officials going to Russia now and hopes Putin agrees truce

Even if Putin agrees to a temporary truce, which is a big if, Ukraine and Europe are clear that Russia has a long history of breaking ceasefire agreements.

Finland will definitely be part of any “coalition of the willing” that could help support Ukraine’s security, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told Times Radio.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain, France and some other nations would form a coalition to draw up plans to offer Ukraine support in the event of a peace deal to end Russia’s war.

“We are definitely part of the coalition of the willing, and we are looking at the package of capabilities which we have to put to the table in order to help Ukraine in securing itself,” she said.

“We will, of course, have to secure the rest of Europe, too… there are many ways to participate and rest assured Finland will participate also.”

It came after Secretary of State for Defence John Healey said: “In the coming weeks, you will see European allies coming ever closer together because our security is shared and our strength relies on that unwavering commitment to each other.

“Peace and security in Europe will only be achieved through strengthening Nato and standing with Ukraine.”

About 286,000 Ukrainian civilians remain in Donetsk Oblast as mandatory evacuation in the region continues.

Dmytro Petlin, head of the department of operational and emergency service for the region, said: “Evacuation measures continue. As of yesterday (11.03.25), about 1,214,000 civilians were evacuated from the government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.

“As of yesterday, about 286,000 civilians remain in the territory of the region controlled by the Ukrainian authorities.”

A source close to the Ukrainian government said the mood in the Zelensky camp after the talks was upbeat and that there was a feeling Russia had been caught off guard by the ceasefire proposal.

“It’s a strong check on the chess board,” the source said.

A former senior Ukrainian security official who requested anonymity said things had so far developed predictably in terms of a phased peace process.

“However, it is likely that Russia will derail the agreement, and we will have to watch the American reaction. The Russians may offend Trump with their outbursts. And then we will have a chance for strong arms assistance.”

President Vladimir Putin has visited the western Russian region of Kursk for the first time since Ukrainian forces seized some territory in the region.

Appearing on Russian state television dressed in a pixilated military uniform, Putin visited a control centre in Kursk region used by Russian troops.

“Indeed, in the shortest possible time is to finally defeat the enemy entrenched in the Kursk region and still conducting defensive actions here,” Putin said, addressing Russia’s top military brass.

Putin heard a report from Valery Gerasimov, head of the Russian General Staff, who told him that Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region were now surrounded.

“Its systematic destruction is underway,” Gerasimov said.

Putin said Russian forces should completely liberate the region from the Ukrainian troops as soon as possible, the news agencies reported.

Putin said Russia should treat Ukrainian soldiers captured as prisoners of war in Kursk Region as terrorists.

“People who are in the Kursk region, who commit crimes against civilians here, who oppose our armed forces, law enforcement agencies and special services, … are the people we should certainly treat as terrorists,” Putin said, adding that Russia does not intend to extend the Geneva Conventions to foreigners fighting on Ukraine’s side.

Ukraine’s top army commander said on Thursday that Kyiv’s troops will continue operation in Russia’s Kursk region “as long as appropriate and necessary” and added that fighting continued in and around town of Sudzha.

“(Ukrainian) defence forces units manoeuvre to more favourable positions, if necessary,” Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Facebook adding that saving soldiers lives is a priority.

Ukrainian troops appeared on the point of losing their hard-won foothold inside Russia’s Kursk region on Wednesday as Moscow claimed further advances there and military bloggers on both sides said Kyiv’s forces were withdrawing.

Ukraine sprang one of the biggest shocks of the war on August 6 last year by storming across the border and grabbing a chunk of land inside Russia, boosting citizens’ morale and gaining a potential bargaining chip.

Vladimir Putin says Russian troops should defeat enemy in Kursk and completely liberate the region. He added any captured soldiers will be treated as terrorists, according to Interfax.

A total of 66 clashes were recorded on the frontline today, the Russian army is actively attacking Pokrovsk and Torets, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said on Wednesday.

“The Defense Forces… repelled 17 enemy attacks, ten clashes are still ongoing,” the General Staff said in a summary on Telegram.

In Pokrovsk, the Russian forces s have already carried out 27 attacks on Ukrainian positions.

Nine enemy attacks took place in Toretsk axis, four clashes are currently ongoing.

The European Parliament (EP) has strongly condemned the executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops.

“[The EP] strongly condemns the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces; calls for the EU, its Member States and international partners to increase pressure on Russia to comply with its international obligations, particularly the Geneva Convention, and allow international organisations access to prisoners,” according to a resolution in support of Ukraine, which was voted in the European Parliament on Wednesday.

The EP also condemned “devastating impact of Russia’s war on children; calls for increased EU support for children’s education, healthcare, mental health services, and for child protection, including trauma recovery and safe learning environments.”