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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration held "productive discussions" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he urged him to "spare" surrounded Ukrainian troops, he wrote in a Truth Social post on March 14.
"At this very moment, thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by the Russian military, and in a very bad and vulnerable position," Trump wrote.
"I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all."
The statement comes as Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on March 13 and met with Putin late in the evening, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed.
Putin sent ‘additional signals’ to Trump on ceasefire proposal, Kremlin says
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin late in the evening on March 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
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4:00 PM
Trump claims he asked Putin to 'spare thousands of surrounded Ukrainian troops' in Kursk Oblast.
"This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all," U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
3:54 PM
Ukraine forming team to develop monitoring mechanisms for potential 30-day ceasefire, FM Sybiha says.
Kyiv agreed to the U.S.-proposed truce during talks in Jeddah on March 11, contingent on Russian adherence.
3:24 PM
Chinese state oil firms cut Russian crude purchases over sanctions fears, Reuters reports.
"They are taking a break for now while contemplating if there are ways to work around," a source told Reuters.
2:15 PM
Belarus will not merge with Russia in the near future, Lukashenko says.
"If we are going to burst through this open door, we will ruin everything we have done," Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said.
1:52 PM
JD Vance says he would be 'shocked' if Trump agreed to station US nukes in Poland.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has said such a move would be justified given Russia has deployed tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.
12:51 PM
Putin sent 'additional signals' to Trump on ceasefire proposal, Kremlin says.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin late in the evening on March 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
12:14 PM
Ukrainian activist Demyan Hanul shot dead in central Odesa.
"Operatives and police investigators are working to identify the shooter and arrest him," Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.
11:53 AM
Finland sentences Russian neo-Nazi mercenary Yan Petrovsky to life for war crimes in Ukraine.
Yan Petrovsky, co-leader of the Rusich paramilitary unit, was convicted of war crimes in Luhansk Oblast on Sept. 5, 2014, during Russia's invasion of Donbas.
10:48 AM
Ukrainian drones strike Russian gas facilities, air defense missile depot, source claims.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) drones struck two gas compressor stations and a warehouse storing missiles for Russia's S-300/S-400 air defense systems, a security source told the Kyiv Independent.
10:01 AM
Putin still seeks control over Ukraine despite US peace efforts, WP reports.
Some officials believe that even if Russia agrees to a temporary truce, Moscow will use the pause to rearm, violate the agreement, and create provocations to blame on Ukraine.
8:53 AM
Ukrainian drones strike Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, governor says.
"The area of the fire is more than 1,000 square meters, and emergency services are working," Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratiev said.
8:14 AM
General Staff: Russia has lost 891,660 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.
This number includes 1,410 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
6:29 AM
Majority of Americans believe Trump 'too closely aligned' with Russia, poll finds.
Some 56% of Americans believe that U.S. President Donald Trump is "too closely aligned" with Russia amid shifting U.S. foreign policy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on March 13 found.
5:48 AM
Large fire reported at oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai following Ukrainian strike.
A large fire covering over 1,000 square meters engulfed the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on March 14, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram.
5:04 AM
'Enough is enough' — Greenland PM criticizes Trump's annexation efforts.
Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede criticized President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. could annex Greenland in a Facebook post on March 13.
4:16 AM
German Defense Minister calls for unified European approach toward defense procurement.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called for a unified European approach to military procurement in order to avoid bureaucratic delays, Reuters reported on March 12.
2:58 AM
Trump's Ukraine envoy sidelined by Kremlin amid peace talks, NBC reports.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was excluded from peace talks after the Kremlin said it did not want him present, NBC News reported on March 13, citing U.S. and Russian officials.
1:06 AM
US to resume shipping long-range bombs to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The United States is preparing to resume shipping long-range Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) to Ukraine, Reuters reported on March 13, citing sources familiar with the weapon.
12:37 AM
Sweden to provide $137 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Sweden will provide Ukraine with more than 1.4 billion Swedish kronor ($137.7 million) in humanitarian aid, the country's International Development Minister Benjamin Dousa announced on March 13.
12:13 AM
US toughens sanctions on Russian energy payments.
The Trump administration toughened sanctions on Russia's oil and gas industry on March 13 by not renewing an exemption that allows Russian banks to access U.S. payment systems to conduct energy transactions.
11:10 PM
Russian drone strike on Kharkiv injures 7, including 4 children.
A Russian drone strike on the Osnovianskyi district of Kharkiv injured at least seven people, the city's Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported on March 13.
10:37 PM
McDonald's relaunches breakfast menu in Ukraine amid full-scale war.
The announcement from McDonald's Ukraine comes as more Western companies expand offerings to Ukrainian customers amid the full-scale war, with some companies choosing to reopen storefronts across the country.
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