Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk to surrender, as diplomatic back-and-forth continues over a potential US-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's conditions for a ceasefire are unrealistic and tantamount to demanding that Ukraine disarm itself and surrender, analysts say. Putin said on March 13 that Russia was ready to agree to the U.

The Trump administration said it was optimistic about the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine even as President Vladimir Putin appeared to reject US calls for immediate halt to the violence.Instead the Russian leader demanded Ukraine to order troops who had occupied land in the Kursk region to surrender.