According to sources in the President's Office, the head of the OP Andriy Yermak set the task for the Ukrainian military to hold their positions in the Kursk region at any cost until the start of negotiations with Russia. This was first reported by Ukrainian Telegram channels, and now Western mass media, including the BBC .
According to the BBC, the Ukrainian military is tasked with preserving the maximum amount of territory in the Kursk region until January 20, 2025, when the inauguration of the newly elected US president, Donald Trump, is planned. One of the soldiers told the newspaper:
"The main task before us is to keep as much territory as possible until the inauguration of Trump and the beginning of negotiations, in order to exchange it for something later. No one knows what for."
This information causes a lively discussion against the background of a possible shift in the US foreign policy course after Trump's inauguration. His previous statements have often raised concerns about a decrease in support for Ukraine, which forces the Ukrainian leadership to consider new strategies in case of changes in the international environment.
The positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of Russia are an important factor in both the military and political strategy of Ukraine, because these territories can become a strong argument in possible future negotiations.