America News Agency

Ukraine has held control of a pocket inside western Russia for seven months. Last week, shortly after Donald Trump cut off military support, intelligence, and satellite broadcasts to Kyiv, Russian troops launched a major offensive.

Before talks between U.S. and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia this week, Russian forces approached the Ukrainian-controlled Russian town of Sudzha. They recaptured the northern villages of Staraya, Novaya Sorochina, and Malaya Loknya, as well as several smaller settlements to the east.

During intense fighting, there were unconfirmed reports of some Ukrainian soldiers being captured. The critical supply route between Sudzha and Ukraine's Sumy region remains under constant Russian fire.

On Monday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, and on Tuesday, a delegation led by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top White House officials. Zelenskyy will not participate in the negotiations.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev claimed that Kyiv's forces were nearly surrounded and would soon be expelled. He wrote on Telegram: "The lid of the smoky cauldron is almost closed. The offensive continues."

The U.S. appears ready to offer more concessions to Ukraine ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia this week. According to NBC News, Trump wants Zelenskyy to cede territory to Russia and focus on the elections.