Will save Ukrainian troops' lives if they surrender: Putin on Trump's appeal

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Ukrainian troops will be spared if they surrender. His comments followed Donald Trump's claim that he urged Putin to ensure their safety. Trump described talks with Putin as "productive," raising hopes for a ceasefire.

In Short

• Vladimir Putin offers to spare lives of Ukrainian troops if they surrender
• Donald Trump claims productive talks with Putin on ending Russia-Ukraine war
• US envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin to discuss ceasefire proposal

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that he will spare the lives of Ukrainian troops if they surrender. His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said he had asked Putin to ensure their safety.

"In case they surrender, we guarantee we will save their lives," Putin was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters in its report.

Trump said on Friday that there was a "very good chance" the war between Russia and Ukraine could end following "productive" discussions with Putin the day before.

"We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end," Trump said in a Truth Social post.

He added that he had requested Putin to spare the lives of "completely surrounded" Ukrainian troops.

US envoy Steve Witkoff had a lengthy meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday night, Reuters reported, while citing a source familiar with the development.

However, the Truth Social post did not confirm if Trump and Putin had spoken directly. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin had conveyed "signals" to Trump through Witkoff. He added that Russia and the US would arrange a phone call between their leaders after Witkoff had briefed Trump.

Trump has said he wants Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a swift ceasefire to pause fighting in a conflict that he warned could escalate into World War Three. The war has already resulted in many deaths on both sides.

Trump spoke with President Vladimir Putin this week, days after the US proposed a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to the deal, and Putin has also proclaimed his support of the deal in prinicple.

On Thursday, the Kremlin confirmed Russia's acceptance of the proposal, though Putin stressed that key details remained unresolved. "The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it," Putin said in Moscow. "But there are issues that we need to discuss." He added that talks with American officials would be necessary to move forward.

Putin also sent a message to Trump about the ceasefire proposal through the United States special envoy on Friday. The Kremlin said it saw grounds for "cautious optimism" that an agreement could be reached.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared for the proposed truce, describing it as an opportunity to develop a broader peace plan. "I am very serious (about a ceasefire) and for me, it is important to end the war," he told reporters in Kyiv.

However, Zelenskyy also accused Russia of "deliberately setting conditions" that could complicate and prolong negotiations.

The ceasefire discussions follow more than eight hours of talks earlier this week between American and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After those meetings, Ukraine agreed to the 30-day truce, while Washington committed to resuming military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Weeks earlier, American officials had met with Russian delegates in Jeddah to discuss ways to end the conflict.