By Canadian Press

Russia says all Ukrainian troops have left the Kursk region as Zelenskyy meets Trump at Vatican

Apr 26, 2025 | 4:51 AM

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — All Ukrainian troops have been forced from Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff for Russia’s Armed Forces, gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the news in a meeting Saturday, Peskov told Russian state news outlet Interfax.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Vatican City on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral.

The presidents met at St. Peter’s Basilica for about 15 minutes and agreed to continue negotiations later on Saturday, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said.

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White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.”

Three people were killed overnight by Russian attacks across Ukraine, local officials also said.

Two people died in a strike on the town of Yarova in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, local Gov. Vadym Filashkin said in a post on social media. Another person died in the Dnipropetrovsk region, said Gov Serhiy Lysak. Six people were injured, including an 88-year-old woman and an 11-year-old girl, he said.

Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”

Meanwhile, in a statement Friday night, Zelenskyy said that “very significant meetings may take place” in coming days, and that an unconditional ceasefire was needed.

“Real pressure on Russia is needed so that they accept either the American proposal to cease fire and move towards peace, or our proposal — whichever one can truly work and ensure a reliable, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire, and then — a dignified peace and security guarantees,” he said.

“Diplomacy must succeed. And we are doing everything to make diplomacy truly meaningful and finally effective.”

Russia launched three missiles and 114 drones over Ukraine overnight, Ukraine’s air force wrote in a statement Saturday. Sixty-six drones were destroyed and a further 31 decoy drones failed to reach their destination.

Meanwhile, Russian air defenses shot down 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, the country’s defense ministry said.

The Associated Press