Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukrainian servicemen who took part in the invasion of the Kursk region committed numerous crimes against civilians, which the Russian prosecutor's office classifies as acts of terrorism. He said this at a meeting with members of the Security Council on March 14, commenting on the situation in the region. At the same time, the Russian leader expressed his readiness to take into account the call of US President Donald Trump for a humane approach towards these soldiers, but only if a specific condition is met - surrender. 

According to Putin, if the Ukrainian military lays down their arms, they will be guaranteed life and treatment in accordance with international law and Russian law. He stressed that in order to implement Trump's ceasefire proposal, the military-political leadership of Ukraine must order its units to capitulate. Earlier, the American president called for ending the conflict as soon as possible on his social network Truth Social, noting that the fate of the encircled Ukrainian soldiers should be decided taking into account humanitarian principles in order to avoid a "horrible massacre." 

The situation in the Kursk region remains tense after the Ukrainian Armed Forces' invasion in August 2024. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, by mid-March, Russian troops had liberated more than 1100 square kilometers, including the city of Sudzha, and isolated significant enemy forces. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that Ukrainian Armed Forces losses in the region exceeded 67 people. Against this backdrop, Trump stepped up diplomatic efforts, holding talks with Putin and sending special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to discuss the terms of a ceasefire. According to Reuters, the United States has proposed a 30-day ceasefire, but Russia insists on capitulation as a preliminary step.