Zelenskiy Ready to Swap Kyiv-Held Land in Russia’s Kursk Region for Ukrainian Territories

A view shows a building, damaged during a recent fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in controlled by Ukrainian army the town of Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia August 16, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a building, damaged during a recent fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in controlled by Ukrainian army the town of Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia August 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Zelenskiy Ready to Swap Kyiv-Held Land in Russia’s Kursk Region for Ukrainian Territories

A view shows a building, damaged during a recent fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in controlled by Ukrainian army the town of Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia August 16, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a building, damaged during a recent fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in controlled by Ukrainian army the town of Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia August 16, 2024. (Reuters)

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he would offer to swap land Ukrainian troops control in Russia's Kursk region in exchange for a return of Ukrainian territories Russia currently occupies if negotiations took place.

"We will swap one territory for another," Zelenskiy said in an interview with Britain's Guardian newspaper published on Tuesday.

Zelenskiy did not specify the Ukrainian territories he would ask for. "I don't know, we will see. But all our territories are important, there is no priority," he added.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory in the country's east and south as the full-scale invasion it launched on February 24 approaches its third anniversary.

Ukraine staged a surprise offensive into the Kursk region of western Russia last August and still holds part of the initially captured territory, although its size has dwindled in the course of Russian counter-attacks.

Kyiv officials say the Kursk operation was meant to protect border regions and that captured land could be used as a bargaining chip in any peace negotiations, whose prospects have risen since Donald Trump returned as US president.

Zelenskiy has repeatedly stressed that any plan to end the war in Ukraine should provide for strong security guarantees from allies to ensure no future Russian aggression is possible.

Trump said on Friday he would probably meet Zelenskiy this week to discuss ending the war. He indicated on Sunday that he had been in contact with Putin, without specifying when. The Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied those contacts.



NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
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NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File

Ukraine is still getting essential defense equipment despite the war in the Middle East, which is depleting stockpiles in Europe and the United States, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday.

"The good news is that essential equipment into Ukraine continues to flow," he told reporters. That included American-made Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine desperately needs, he added, AFP reported.

The PURL program, launched last year, allows Ukraine to receive US equipment financed by European countries.

Some 75 percent of the missiles used by Patriot batteries in Ukraine have been supplied through the program, and 90 percent of the munitions used by other air-defense systems, Rutte added.

Rutte called on European countries to increase their own production capacity.

"They need to produce more extra production lines, extra shifts, opening new factories. The money is there," he said.


Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
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Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)

Germany's foreign minister Thursday said it was encouraging if the United States was talking directly to Iran to end the war in the Middle East, but Washington should make its intentions clear.

"I hear that there are signs that the US is speaking directly to Iran. I think that this is encouraging and this is welcome," Johann Wadephul told reporters before heading into the meeting of G7 foreign ministers outside Paris, AFP reported.

With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to join the discussions from Friday, he added: "For the German government it is of great importance to know precisely what our American partners are intending."


US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

The United States has sent Iran a "15-point action list" as a basis for negotiations to end the current conflict, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, adding that there are signs that Tehran was interested in making a deal.

 

Witkoff, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, said that the nascent talks could be successful if the Iranians realize there were no good alternatives - a realization Tehran might be coming to, he argued, Reuters reported.

 

"We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction," Witkoff told reporters.

 

"We have strong signs that this is a possibility."

 

Witkoff said Pakistan had been acting as a mediator, confirming statements from Pakistani officials.