Putin masses 50,000 troops on Ukraine's north front as Trump again agrees to meet Russian, Ukrainian leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed immoderate 50,000 troops connected Ukraine’s bluish borderline contempt a agreed propulsion by the U.S. and Ukraine to get Moscow to participate into "meaningful" ceasefire negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy connected Wednesday warned that Putin is preparing a monolithic summertime violative successful a determination to propulsion Ukraine’s troops retired of Russia’s Kursk region, and to motorboat a caller penetration into Ukraine’s Sumy portion – a specified 200 miles from the superior metropolis of Kyiv. 

Zelenskyy reiterated this week that helium is acceptable to clasp nonstop negotiations with Putin and suggested that if the Kremlin main is uncomfortable with a bilateral meeting, a trilateral gathering could beryllium held with President Donald Trump.

TIRANA, ALBANIA: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the 6th European Political Community (EPC) summit, successful Tirana, Albania connected May 16, 2025.  (Ercin Erturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL MEET WITH PUTIN, ZELENSKYY 'IF NECESSARY' AMID NEGOTIATIONS TO END WAR

Trump connected Wednesday said helium would meet with some satellite leaders "if necessary" but the Kremlin again rejected the suggestion. 

The U.S. president said helium was "very disappointed" astatine Russia's continued bombardment of Ukraine during dialog attempts, but helium has refused to deed Putin with much sanctions, telling reporters "I deliberation I'm adjacent to getting a deal, I don't privation to screw it up by doing that."

Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said during a unrecorded chat connected X, Thursday, that since the May 16 gathering successful Turkey, Russia had launched 120 missiles, much than 1,500 Shahed drones and much than 2,500 guided bombs connected Ukrainian cities. 

The Sumy determination politician confirmed connected Monday that Russian forces had officially taken implicit four Ukrainian villages adjacent the Ukraine-Russia borderline which were antecedently evacuated, and which sat successful a "gray zone" that has agelong been militarily contested pursuing Russia’s Feb. 2022 invasion. 

In this photograph provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters enactment retired the occurrence pursuing Russia's rocket onslaught that killed astatine slightest 20 civilians successful Sumy, Ukraine, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025.  (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

TRUMP WARNS PUTIN IS 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' AFTER DECLARING THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS 'GONE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY'

The question of Russian troops comes arsenic Putin looks to make a astir 6-mile wide "buffer zone," which Moscow reportedly has been attempting to transportation out since 2024, but which was thwarted by Ukraine’s Kursk invasion. 

Implementing a buffer portion connected Ukraine’s bluish territory volition apt beryllium utilized arsenic a bargaining spot if Moscow engages successful ceasefire negotiations, which Kyiv has said Russia has failed to bash successful bully religion aft delegations from some sides met successful Istanbul earlier this month, but failed to beforehand bid talks. 

A Ukrainian T64 conflict vessel fires connected a Russian troops presumption connected Jan. 9, 2024, successful Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.  (Roman Chop/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Russia precocious connected Wednesday suggested a 2nd Istanbul gathering wherever it said it would contiguous its "memorandum" of ceasefire terms.

Ukraine has frankincense acold not accepted different gathering with Russia and connected Thursday said Moscow "promised" to supply its memorandum up of immoderate aboriginal talks. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Russian delegation and immoderate officials up of the Istanbul talks, connected May 14, 2025, successful Moscow, Russia.  (Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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"They are frightened to stock it due to the fact that they filled the papers with ultimatums and demands," Tykhyi said Thursday. "They recognize this papers is needed not to beforehand the bid process but to stall."

Tykhyi argued that "If they person thing to hide, if this papers is workable" past determination "should beryllium nary occupation successful sharing the document," which helium said is needed to guarantee the negotiating parties tin execute a "meaningful result."

Ukraine has already submitted their ceasefire terms.