Ukraine’s continued focus on Kursk shows how important Kyiv believes it is to hold on to Russian land, especially if Trump pushes both sides to the negotiating table.

President-elect Trump said late Thursday that a meeting is in the works with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: Trump said on the campaign trail that he would swiftly end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

The Kremlin on Jan. 10 said it "welcomed" President-elect Donald Trump's "readiness" for talks, but added plans for any face-to-face meeting would not be drawn up until after his inauguration later this month.

President-elect of the USA, Donald Trump, said on Thursday that he is preparing a meeting with Vladimir Putin, and Putin wants to meet with him. "We have to get that war over with," he declared. – President Putin wants to meet.