Although Trump has threatened Russia with tighter sanctions, his administration has aligned with some Kremlin positions, including casting doubt on Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and suggesting that Kyiv may not regain territories occupied by Russian forces, which currently account for nearly 20 per cent of the country.

President Vladimir Putin donned military fatigues for a surprise visit to troops in Russia's western Kursk region on Wednesday where he ordered them to press their lightning advance and swiftly retake the rest of the area from Ukrainian forces.

US President Donald Trump said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine, and expressed his hope that the war will end soon.

Russia said on Thursday there was no doubt that its troops would soon complete the task of clearing out Ukrainian forces from Russia's Kursk region where they have held a pocket of territory for more than seven months.

Russia claimed to retake a key town in the area from Ukrainian forces. Ukraine’s top military commander has said that its forces would continue to “hold the line.”

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, ordered top commanders to defeat Ukrainian forces in the western region of Kursk as soon as possible after the United States asked him to consider a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he didn’t support an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine, calling for more discussion on a permanent end to the war as Moscow’s army made rapid gains toward expelling Kyiv’s forces from its Kursk region.