Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 22 that Russia is establishing a “buffer security zone” along its border with Ukraine, confirming that military operations are underway to secure the area.
Putin made the announcement during a televised meeting with Russian government officials, stating that the decision had already been made and is now being carried out by the armed forces.
“Our Armed Forces are accomplishing this task now,” Putin said. “Enemy firing points are being suppressed. The work is proceeding.”
His remarks follow a recent visit to Russia’s Kursk region, which borders northeastern Ukraine, and a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the week. The two leaders reportedly discussed ongoing efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Putin thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Those talks resumed last week in Turkey—the first face-to-face negotiations between the two sides since March 2022. He said Trump noted Russia’s stated aspiration for peace, though the key question remained how to reach that goal.
Following the call, Putin said Moscow was prepared to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord and described recent efforts to end the war as being “on the right track.”
Trump said he had made progress during his call with Putin and also spoke to leaders across Europe.
The Kremlin pushed back on a recent Wall Street Journal report that said Trump told European leaders he believed Putin was not serious about ending the conflict. Kremlin officials said the characterization of Putin’s intentions in that report did not match their understanding of the U.S. president’s views.
Zelenskyy said these cross-border operations are critical to protecting communities in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
“Unfortunately, the Russians show no signals of a ceasefire and are not yet ready to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.
He stressed the importance of continued international pressure on Russia, both militarily and economically, saying it “convinces” in the absence of diplomacy.
Details about the scope or exact location of the buffer zone were not disclosed by Russian authorities. It remains unclear whether the zone will involve formal demarcations or a broader security perimeter enforced through continued military action.
