Summary
U.S. and European intelligence assessments contradict claims by both Trump and Putin that Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region are encircled.
Intelligence shared with the White House indicates Ukrainian troops face pressure but are not surrounded.
Despite this, Trump reiterated the encirclement claim in public statements and conversations with Putin.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy denied the claim, calling it misinformation. Analysts say Putin’s false narrative aims to pressure Ukraine into negotiations.
He did shit like this in his first term, too. The word of an autocrat he likes gets more weight than his own intelligence.