Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's request to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk, saying that Russia would guarantee their safety if they surrendered.

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.”

By Steve Holland, Dmitry Antonov and Andrew Osborn WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russia's Vladimir Putin on Friday to spare Ukrainian troops being pushed back out of Russia's Kursk region and said there was a "very good chance" the war could end.