A Ukrainian defeat in the battle for the key city of Pokrovsk could push US President Donald Trump to look more favourably on Russia’s Vladimir Putin in any future peace talks, experts have warned.

After months of attritional combat , analysts said that the high-profile loss of the city would come at a bad time for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , who is facing a corruption scandal at home .

Russia is thought to be on the verge of capturing Pokrovsk, as its troops take advantage of dense fog to encircle the city. Ukrainian soldiers fighting there have told The i Paper that it is only a “matter of time” until it falls. New Feature

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This could have larger implications for the overall war and future attempts at a ceas

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