All Ukrainian troops have been forced from parts of Russia’s Kursk region, which Moscow lost control of last year to a surprise Ukrainian incursion, Russia’s top general said in a Kremlin meeting Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed his country has recaptured Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Kyiv insists its troops are fiercely battling to preserve its foothold in the territory.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there are reasons to be optimistic, but also asserted there are “other issues” on which the administration wants to spend its energy.

The Secretary of State's comments came after President Donald Trump questioned whether Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to "stop the war" against Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that the next week will be crucial for ending the war in Ukraine, according to Clash Report. “I think this is gonna be a very critical week. This week is gonna be a really important week in which we have to make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in,