Monday, March 17
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Medics of the 3rd Operational Assignment Spartan Brigade ‘Petro Bolbochan’ treat the wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a medical stabilization point near the frontline in Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 15, 2025. (Jose Colon / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Without confirming the withdrawal with a statement, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces posted the latest battlefield maps on social media, which showed a complete retreat from Sudzha.
Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says. “I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have a conversation with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN after meeting Putin in Moscow on March 13, as cited by Reuters.
Zelensky announces upcoming Ramstein summit in Brussels. “We are preparing for Brussels,” Zelensky said. According to the president, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently organizing the next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
No more lost territory, return of deported children — Kyiv names red lines for peace deal, Independent reports. “It is not reasonable to demand that, for example, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson be fully handed over — that sounds like a f*** off to us,” a high-level Ukrainian official said.
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Trump denies reports on his envoy waiting for Putin, calls media ‘sick degenerates.’ “The fake news, as usual, is at it again!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Why can’t they be honest, just for once?”
Ukraine appoints Andrii Hnatov as new chief of General Staff. Hnatov, who was formerly appointed as the deputy chief of the General Staff in February, will be replacing Anatolii Barhylevych, who took the role in February 2024.
Air Force says 47 Russian drones shot down overnight. Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 90 drones, targeting Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Odesa oblasts, according to the Air Force’s report.
Kremlin dismisses ceasefire as tactic to buy time for Ukraine’s military. “The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position,” Yuri Ushakov, a close adviser to Vladimir Putin, told media on March 16.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast
Instead of confirming the withdrawal with a statement, the General Staff posted the latest battlefield maps on social media, which showed a complete retreat from Sudzha.
Photo: Anatoliy Zhdanov/Kommersant Photo/AFP via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
General Staff: Russia has lost 894,240 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. The number includes 1,400 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Fierce battles in Kursk amid ceasefire talks | Ukraine This Week
International response
‘Plan A is get the shooting to stop’ — Rubio says as US pushes for ceasefire in Ukraine. Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on March 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the primary goal is to secure a ceasefire before moving forward with broader negotiations for a permanent resolution.
West can send troops to Ukraine without Russia’s permission, Macron says. “Ukraine is sovereign – if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with Le Parisien.
UK proposes Western peacekeeping mission of 10,000 troops in Ukraine. The proposed contingent would include around 10,000 troops, mostly provided by the U.K. and France, U.K. military sources told the Sunday Times. Thirty-five countries would assist with weapons, logistics, and intelligence support.
Lithuania backs EU plan for $43.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports. Lithuania ranks among Europe’s top defense spenders, allocating 2.85% of its GDP to defense in 2024, according to NATO estimates.
New Canadian PM discusses security guarantees, bilateral cooperation in call with Zelensky. Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed increasing pressure on Moscow, particularly by imposing additional sanctions against Russia’s banking sector and its so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers.
In other news
Suspect pleads guilty to murder of Odesa activist Demyan Hanul. Serhii Shalaiev, the man detained and charged with the killing of Ukrainian activist Demyan Hanul, pled guilty to the murder in a closed court hearing on March 16.
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