Germany has warned that a peace proposal reportedly suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump  one that would involve ceding large portions of Ukrainian land to Russia  would amount to “a capitulation.”


Speaking on Sunday to German public broadcaster ARD, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that while Ukraine may eventually need to make some concessions to secure peace, Trump's plan went too far. Pistorius stressed that Ukraine could have achieved the same result "practically through a capitulation" over a year ago and argued that there was no added value in the American president’s latest proposal.


According to officials familiar with the plan, Trump, frustrated by his inability to broker peace after more than three years of war, has advocated for a settlement recognizing Russia’s control over Crimea  annexed in 2014 as well as additional Ukrainian territories seized following the 2022 full-scale invasion.


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently acknowledged that Ukraine currently lacks the military capability to retake Crimea by force. However, he has consistently maintained that territorial concessions remain a red line. Ukraine’s constitution prohibits recognizing Crimea as Russian territory. “This territory is not my property. It belongs to the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky emphasized during a briefing on Friday.


During a brief face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelensky at the Vatican, while attending Pope Francis' funeral, Trump reportedly raised the Crimea issue, suggesting that Zelensky “wants to make a deal.” Trump also issued some of his sharpest criticism yet of Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to “stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal.” Upon returning to Washington, Trump warned that if progress toward peace stalls, he would consider imposing new sanctions on Russia, questioning whether Putin is genuinely committed to ending the conflict.


U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that the coming week would be "very critical" for U.S.-led efforts to broker a peace deal, noting that negotiations are “close, but not close enough.”


Meanwhile, North Korea publicly confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine. In a statement, Pyongyang’s Central Military Commission praised its combat sub-units for contributing to a “precious victory” in Russia’s Kursk region. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Saturday that Russian forces had fully recaptured Kursk after a Ukrainian offensive last year, although Ukrainian officials insist that fighting is ongoing.


Putin commended North Korean soldiers for their “heroism, high level of special training, and self-sacrifice,” saying they defended Russian territory “as their own.” Western intelligence estimates that approximately 12,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia, despite previous North Korean denials.


South Korea’s military reported that in March, an additional 3,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to replace approximately 4,000 casualties. Pyongyang's Central Military Commission said the deployments were personally ordered by Kim Jong Un under a strategic partnership treaty signed with Russia last year, which pledged immediate military assistance if either nation were attacked.


Kim praised the North Korean troops as heroes and announced plans to erect a monument in their honor. Russia’s top military officer, Valery Gerasimov, also acknowledged and thanked the North Korean forces for their professionalism and bravery.


In addition to deploying troops, South Korea reported that North Korea has supplied Russia with a significant amount of military hardware, including short-range ballistic missiles, hundreds of 170-millimeter self-propelled howitzers, and 240-millimeter multiple rocket launchers.


The U.S. State Department expressed deep concern over North Korea’s direct involvement in Russia’s war effort, warning that any reciprocal military support from Russia to North Korea must cease immediately. South Korea’s Defense Ministry condemned the deployment, calling it a violation of United Nations resolutions and an illegal act that threatens global peace, urging the international community to respond swiftly.