US rejects Russian demand for Ukraine's full withdrawal from partially occupied territories

he White House has so far refused to support a Russian demand that Ukraine retreat from four regions President Vladimir Putin claims to have annexed, according to a participant in the ongoing peace talks who spoke to The New York Times in comments published on April 25.

U.S. officials reportedly view the demand as "unreasonable and unachievable," the source told the outlet.

The Kremlin illegally declared the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts following staged referendums in late 2022, incorporating them into Russia’s constitution — a move that has been universally rejected by the international community.

Despite Moscow’s claims, Russia does not fully control these areas. Currently, Russian forces occupy about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including most of Luhansk Oblast, about two-thirds of Donetsk Oblast, and approximately 73% of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s territorial demands during an interview with France’s Le Point on April 23, insisting that the goals of Russia’s war "have not changed."

According to The New York Times, U.S. officials from the Trump administration assured Ukrainian negotiators that the United States would not support Russian demands to limit Ukraine’s military or cede control over occupied territories.

At the same time, Washington has reportedly pushed Ukraine to consider accepting a "freeze" of the current front lines. U.S. officials are said to remain open to recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea — a position firmly rejected by Kyiv.

The Times also reported that American officials believe Russia would likely retain control over roughly the same amount of territory in any future settlement. Ukraine has reportedly proposed trading certain areas to bolster its defenses, an idea that U.S. officials pledged to support, while cautioning that Russia might reject any such offer.

Meanwhile, European leaders and Ukraine continue to advocate for a peace framework that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty, insisting that any territorial negotiations should only take place after a full and unconditional ceasefire.

Over 45 days ago, Ukraine accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, which Russia rejected, demanding instead a complete halt to Western military support for Kyiv. Since then, Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.

In the latest assault on April 25, 12 people were killed and 87 wounded — just days after former President Donald Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of being the main obstacle to peace.

Zelensky and Trump met on April 26 at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican — their first meeting since a tense encounter in Washington earlier this year. Quietly arranged with European backing, the talks were described by both sides as productive and constructive.

Kyiv denies Russia’s claim of Kursk Oblast recapture

Russian forces have fully recaptured Kursk Oblast, the border region partially held by Ukraine since last August, the Kremlin claimed on April 26 — a statement quickly disputed by Kyiv.

"Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin on the completion of the operation to liberate Kursk Oblast," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Interfax news agency.

However, Ukraine rejected the claim, calling it inaccurate.

"Ukrainian defensive operations in certain areas of Kursk Oblast continue," Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement, adding that Kyiv's forces repelled five Russian ground assaults on April 26, with another clash still ongoing.

"The situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold certain positions and carry out assigned tasks," the statement read, emphasizing there is no threat of encirclement. A military source also told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian troops still control territory within Kursk Oblast.

In a notable first, Gerasimov acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces, praising their "fortitude and heroism." Previously, Kyiv and Seoul had reported that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to the region, although Moscow had not officially confirmed this until now.

Ukraine launched a cross-border offensive into Kursk Oblast in August 2024 — the first large-scale foreign incursion into Russian territory since World War II. The move was intended to disrupt an anticipated Russian offensive against neighboring Sumy Oblast and divert Russian forces from the heavily contested Donbas region.

Russia began a major counteroffensive in early March, forcing Ukrainian forces to withdraw from much of the territory they had initially captured, including the town of Sudzha.

As of April 25, Ukrainian battlefield monitoring service DeepState reported that Ukrainian troops continued to hold limited positions near the border, specifically around the villages of Oleshnya and Gomal.

We've discussed a lot -Zelenskyy on meeting with Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for what he described as a significant and potentially historic meeting in Rome, held shortly before the farewell ceremony for Pope Francis.

In a message posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the two leaders engaged in a one-on-one discussion covering a range of critical issues. He expressed hope that their conversation would lead to tangible results, particularly in advancing efforts to protect Ukrainian lives, secure a full and unconditional ceasefire, and establish a durable peace that would prevent future conflicts.

Zelenskyy emphasized the symbolic importance of the meeting and suggested it could prove historic if the discussions lead to meaningful outcomes. He concluded his message by personally thanking Trump for the dialogue.

Russian drone hit a nine-storey building in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing and injuring people

A Russian drone strike hit a nine-story apartment building in the city of Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing one man and injuring six others, including an 11-year-old girl, according to Serhii Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration.

Lysak reported via Telegram that the drone attack sparked fires in multiple apartments. Initial reports indicated three injuries, including a child, as emergency services rushed to the scene. Authorities noted that more detailed information would be available later in the morning.

By 7:30 a.m., Lysak provided an update, confirming that fires had broken out in two apartments and that damage extended to three residential buildings and six vehicles. Tragically, one man was confirmed dead, and four people — an 11-year-old girl and three women — were injured, with one woman in critical condition.

Elsewhere in the region, a man was wounded during an overnight drone strike on the Dnipro district. The attack also caused several fires, destroyed a non-residential building, and damaged multiple businesses.

Russian forces continued their drone attacks into the evening of April 25, targeting the Mezhova hromada in the Synelnykove district with first-person view (FPV) drones. One man was injured in that assault, and a fire destroyed an excavator. (A hromada is an administrative unit that typically consists of a town or village and its surrounding territory.)