US officials have said that they do not expect major shifts in the battle lines in eastern Ukraine. Read more at straitstimes.com.

As Ukrainian forces mount a new offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said that success in this region would improve Kyiv’s bargaining position in any future ceasefire negotiations.

"Their (Ukraine's) position in Kursk is an important one because certainly it's something that would factor in any negotiation that may come about in the coming year," Blinken told reporters in Seoul.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his visit to South Korea, stated that the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region are crucial for future negotiations. “Their position in Kursk is an important one because certainly it's something that would factor in any negotiation that may come about in the coming year,