Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Jan. 6 that Ukrainian positions in Russia's Kursk Oblast could play an important role in possible talks with Russia, the AFP news agency reported.
The Biden administration, whose term expires in a few weeks, has sped up the delivery of military assistance to Ukraine to put Kyiv in the strongest possible position in potential peace negotiations.
"Their (Ukraine's) position in Kursk is an important one because certainly it's something that would factor in any negotiation that may come about in the coming year," Blinken told reporters in Seoul.
The comments come at the heels of reports of Ukraine launching new offensive operations in Kursk Oblast after months of being on the defensive.
Ukraine launched the cross-border incursion in early August, allegedly seizing 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian soil. Since then, Moscow has deployed reinforcements, including thousands of North Korean soldiers, and reportedly recaptured around half of the lost territory.
President Volodymyr Zelensky also called the Kursk incursion an important "trump card" in any potential talks.
There are growing expectations of possible peace talks in 2025 as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, pledged to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
Trump's return to the White House sparked concerns among Ukraine's allies due to the president-elect's past criticism of the Biden administration's support for Kyiv.
In comments made since his reelection, Trump hinted at a possible reduction of U.S. assistance but said he would not "abandon" the country, instead aiming to leverage Washington's aid to push Russia to negotiate.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
