In surprise visit to Kursk, Putin vows to "completely liberate" region amid 30-day ceasefire

Moscow [Russia], March 13 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday made a surprise visit to the Kursk region, where he told troops that Moscow's goal is to "completely liberate" the area as soon as possible, CNN reported.
This comes a day after Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire with Russia after critical peace talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking in a video broadcast by Russian state television, wearing a military uniform, Putin told frontline troops that Moscow's goal is to "completely liberate" Kursk as soon as possible, during his first trip to the western region since Ukraine's unexpected incursion there last year.
The visit appears to be a morale booster for Russian forces, who are advancing on Ukraine's remaining holdouts in the region, as per CNN.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that Putin was "carefully studying" the proposal, as Moscow waits to be briefed by US officials in the coming days.
According to CNN, Putin met with General Valery Gerasimov in Kursk, where he addressed soldiers and urged them to oust the remaining Ukrainian forces. Putin also raised the possibility of creating a "buffer zone" along Russia's border with Ukraine.
Putin added that Ukrainian soldiers captured in Kursk should be treated as "terrorists."
Ukraine launched a 'shock incursion' into Russia's Kursk region in August catching Russia off guard, and quickly gaining control of a significant amount of territory.
The Ukrainian campaign had two main objectives: to capture land that could be used as leverage to negotiate the return of Russian-occupied territory and to divert Russian resources away from the front lines in the east.
However, Ukraine has struggled to hold onto its captured territory, with its grip on the region rapidly deteriorating in recent days.
On Wednesday, Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces had recaptured more than 86 per cent of the area taken by Ukraine, that 430 Ukrainian soldiers had been taken prisoner - and the remaining Ukrainians were surrounded.
Kyiv's hopes of using Kursk as a bargaining tool in negotiations had "totally collapsed," Gerasimov claimed.
On Wednesday, United States President Donald Trump said that the ball is now in Putin's court as US representatives headed to Russia "right now as we speak," to discuss the ceasefire proposal.
Addressing the reporters in the Oval Office, Trump affirmed, "We're going to have to see. It's up to Russia now," adding that he declined to comment on whether he has a meeting scheduled with the Russian leader.
Trump's Special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia later this week, though it is unclear whether he plans to meet with Putin, with whom he met last month.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking in the Oval Office, also confirmed that conversations are happening "on the phone and in person with some of our representatives over the next couple of days." (ANI)