Overview

• North Korea and Russia have officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russian forces in the contested Kursk region.
• Ukraine disputes Russia's claims of fully recapturing Kursk, asserting that fighting continues in the region.
• During a meeting in Rome, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy expressed willingness for an unconditional ceasefire as a step toward peace.
• US President Trump suggested Zelenskiy might consider ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal, a position Zelenskiy has previously rejected.
• Trump warned of additional sanctions on Russia, including banking restrictions, if Putin does not agree to end the conflict.