Two days of peace talks in Geneva between Ukraine and Russia ended on Wednesday without a breakthrough, with Ukrainian resident Volodymyr Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of stalling US-mediated efforts to end the four-year war.
Ukraine has faced repeated pressure from US president Donald Trump to agree to a deal that could mean painful concessions, as Russian forces pound its power grid and slowly advance on the battlefield.
As the delegations met for a second day at a hotel in the Swiss city, under the mediation of US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Zelenskiy had called the first day “difficult”.
“We can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage,” he wrote on X.
READ MORE
Moments after his statement, the delegations broke off the talks and said they would meet again without providing a date.
Russia’s chief negotiator, former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, described the talks as “difficult, but business-like”.
[ Inside negotiators’ search for compromise on Ukraine territoryOpens in new window ]
Medinsky – whom Ukrainian officials have accused of engaging in history lectures rather than substantive talks – spoke with the Ukrainians for nearly two hours after formal talks ended, according to a representative of Kyiv’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov.
A spokesperson for Zelenskiy said the formal part of the talks had addressed territory in Ukraine’s east and the fate of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, both sticking points since the beginning of the process.
Moscow wants Ukraine to cede the roughly 20 per cent of the eastern region of Donetsk that Russian forces have been unable to conquer – something Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
Kyiv, meanwhile, wants Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear plant, to be operated by the US and Ukraine, which Russia has said is unacceptable.
Next Tuesday, February 24th, is the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which has killed hundreds of thousands, driven millions from their homes, and ravaged Ukrainian cities, towns and villages. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians.
Trump has twice suggested in recent days that it is up to Kyiv to make sure a deal is agreed quickly. He told reporters on Monday: “Ukraine better come to the table fast. That’s all I’m telling you.”
In an interview with the US news outlet Axios, Zelenskiy was quoted as saying that it was “not fair” that Trump kept publicly demanding concessions from Ukraine, not Russia.
[ In missile-battered Kyiv, old and young find new ways to survive the cruel winterOpens in new window ]
Zelenskiy also said any plan requiring Ukraine to give up territory that Russia had not captured in the east would be rejected if put to a referendum.
“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision,” Zelenskiy was quoted as saying.
The Geneva meeting follows two rounds of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi that made no breakthrough.
Both Zelenskiy and Umerov have made a point of repeatedly thanking the US for its mediation in recent weeks.
Zelenskiy has expressed concern that US Congressional midterm elections in November could draw Washington’s attention away from efforts to end Europe’s biggest conflict since the second World War.
Kyiv is also seeking strong US-backed security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks in the event of a peace deal.
US army secretary Daniel Driscoll and brigadier general Michael Adamski took part in three-way military negotiations on Wednesday, according to a US official.
Russian news agencies quoted a source as saying that Tuesday’s six hours of talks had been “very tense”.
Umerov had said his delegation in Geneva had no “excessive expectations”.
In all, Russia occupies about 20 per cent of Ukraine’s national territory, including Crimea, seized and unilaterally annexed in 2014.
It is advancing slowly along the roughly 1,200km frontline; analysts say it has gained about 1.5 per cent of Ukraine since early 2024. However, its recent air strikes on energy infrastructure have left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without heating and power during an exceptionally harsh winter.
Ukraine is pushing for its European allies to become more involved in the peace process. Delegations from France, Germany, Britain and others were present in Geneva and were briefed on the talks, but did not take part directly. – Reuters
