Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reports Russia has diverted 40,000 troops to defend Kursk region

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukrainian forces have reduced the potential of Russian troops to launch attacks in the Donetsk region on the eastern front of the more than two-and-a-half-year-old war.

Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, also said that Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s southern Kursk region, launched last month, had obliged the Russian military to divert 40,000 troops to the area.

The president also said that one person had died in a Russian attack on an elderly people’s residence in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, an area subject to frequent Russian assaults.

Zelenskiy will travel to the United States next Thursday for talks with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as he presses for the US to allow Ukraine to use foreign-provided weapons to strike deeper into Russia.

“I’m looking forward to hosting my friend President Zelenskiy of Ukraine next week at the White House,” Biden said in a message posted on X.

“During his visit, I’ll reaffirm America’s commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its freedom and independence.”

Biden’s administration still is not convinced that it should give Ukraine the authority to launch long-range missiles deeper into Russia and US officials say they are seeking more detailed information about how Ukraine would use the weapons and how they fit into the broader strategy for the war.

US officials said they have asked Ukraine to spell out more clearly its combat objectives should the administration green light loosening restrictions on long-range weaponry.

Administration officials are concerned that loosening restrictions would have limited effect and come with great risk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week warned that Russia would be “at war” with the United States and its NATO allies if they allow Ukraine to use the long-range weapons.

US defence officials have repeatedly argued that the long-range missiles are limited in number and that Ukraine already is using its long-range drones to hit targets farther into Russia.

Zelenskiy is notably meeting separately with Harris, who is looking to succeed Biden.

She last met with the Ukrainian president in July at an international gathering in Switzerland to discuss the war, shortly before Biden announced he was abandoning his re-election bid and endorsed Harris.

Former US president Donald Trump has repeatedly said that he would move to quickly end the war should he win the November election.

His running mate Senator JD Vance said in a recent interview with the Shawn Ryan Show that Trump’s plan would include establishing a “demilitarised zone” and Ukraine would not reclaim territory that Russia occupies and would agree not to join the NATO military alliance.

with AP