U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva were “difficult” but yielded some progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that both sides agreed to continue negotiations despite their remaining differences.
In a statement published before the second day of talks began in Geneva, Zelenskyy accused Russia of attempting to prolong the process.
“We can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage. I thank the American side for its attention to detail and patience in conversations with the current representatives of Russia”. Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Minutes later, Russian state news agency RIA reported that the meeting had concluded. Moscow’s chief negotiator, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters the talks were “difficult but business-like” and said further negotiations would be held soon, without specifying a date.
A Ukrainian official confirmed the session lasted around two hours.
Head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov said the negotiations were substantive and that there had been progress, though he declined to provide details.
“There is progress, but no details can be disclosed at this stage,” Umerov said. He added that a number of issues had been clarified, while others remained under further coordination.
According to Umerov, discussions covered both political and military tracks, including security parameters and mechanisms for implementing possible decisions. He said Ukraine’s objective remains a “just and sustainable peace”.
Zelenskyy later confirmed that both sides had agreed to continue the talks, despite what he described as differing positions for now.
The Geneva meeting followed two earlier rounds of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, which concluded without a major breakthrough, as the sides remained far apart on key issues, including territorial control in eastern Ukraine.
Russian news agencies cited a source describing earlier sessions as “very tense”, lasting several hours in different bilateral and trilateral formats.
Before the latest round began, Umerov had played down expectations of a major step forward, saying the Ukrainian delegation was working “without excessive expectations”.
The talks come days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Russia currently controls about 20 per cent of Ukraine’s internationally-recognised territory, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region seized before and after the 2022 invasion.
Military strikes have continued alongside diplomatic efforts.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 18th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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