Trump Urges Putin to "Spare the Lives" of "Thousands of Ukrainian Soldiers" Amid Ceasefire Talks

Washington/Moscow, March 14, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to "spare the lives" of "thousands of Ukrainian soldiers" he claims are encircled by Russian forces, as part of a broader push for a ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. In a Friday post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "Right now, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are completely surrounded by the Russian army, in a very bad and vulnerable position. I have insistently asked Vladimir Putin to spare their lives."

Trump’s plea follows what he described as "very good and productive discussions" with Putin on Thursday, though he left unclear whether this was a direct phone call or conducted through intermediaries. "There’s a great chance this terrible, bloody war can finally end," he added, signaling optimism about a U.S.-brokered 30-day truce proposal. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, arrived in Moscow on Thursday to pitch this plan, according to a source cited by AFP, marking a critical juncture in negotiations.

Battlefield Context and Russian Advances

The appeal coincides with Russia’s military claiming a swift advance in the Kursk region, where it announced the recapture of Gontcharovka on Friday. This follows the retaking of Sudzha earlier in the week, eroding Ukraine’s foothold in Russian territory gained during its August 2024 incursion. Moscow’s Defense Ministry asserts that Ukrainian forces now hold less than 200 square kilometers in Kursk, down from a peak of 1,300, a claim Kyiv has yet to address directly. Ukraine’s General Staff, however, denied encirclement fears in a Friday Facebook post, stating, "There is no threat of encirclement of our units in Kursk," contradicting Trump’s dire assessment.

Posts on X reflect mixed reactions: some users echo Trump’s encirclement narrative, while others align with Kyiv’s rebuttal, highlighting the fog of war and competing claims. Russia’s recent gains—bolstered by a lightning offensive since mid-2024—lend weight to Putin’s earlier insistence that Ukrainian troops be expelled from Russian soil as a ceasefire prerequisite.

Diplomatic Push and Ukrainian Stance

Trump’s intervention builds on a U.S. ceasefire proposal Kyiv endorsed during March 11 talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, prompting Washington to resume weapons and intelligence support. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha affirmed Kyiv’s “yes” to the truce, framing it as a peace-seeking move, while accusing Putin of prolonging the war with preconditions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a Friday X post, charged Putin with “sabotaging diplomacy” by imposing “unacceptable conditions,” warning that Moscow aims to retain leverage for future aggression.

Putin, speaking Thursday alongside Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, conditionally backed the ceasefire “in principle” but listed unresolved issues—control mechanisms, Ukraine’s potential rearming, and Kursk’s status—casting doubt on an immediate halt. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, briefing reporters Friday, called Witkoff’s Moscow talks with Putin a basis for “cautious optimism,” noting additional details were relayed to Trump.

Broader Implications

Trump’s personal appeal—tied to his self-styled peacemaker image—underscores his administration’s pivot toward direct engagement with Moscow, a shift unnerving European allies wary of a U.S.-Russia bargain sidelining NATO. The G7, meeting in Canada, reiterated “unwavering support” for Ukraine’s territorial integrity on Friday, threatening Russia with sanctions if it scuttles the truce. Meanwhile, posts on X speculate Trump’s plea may pressure Putin to soften terms, though analysts like the Institute for the Study of War caution Moscow remains bent on long-term Ukrainian demilitarization.

As Russian forces edge forward and Ukraine strikes back—hitting a Belgorod missile depot overnight per Kyiv’s claims—the ceasefire’s fate hangs on Putin’s next move. Trump’s gambit, blending humanitarian rhetoric with deal-making, tests whether his rapport with Putin can end a war that’s killed or wounded hundreds of thousands since February 2022.