US special envoy Steve Witkoff said talks between Ukraine and Russia had “brought about meaningful progress” to end the war. Both sides prepared for a second day of negotiations in Geneva on Wednesday.
Hopes of a breakthrough remain low. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it “was not fair” that US President Donald Trump keeps asking his country to compromise. He added that “peace wouldn’t be achieved if victory is handed to Russia”.
US President Donald Trump has recently suggested it is up to Ukraine to ensure talks in Switzerland are successful. He did so without mentioning Russia.
The Kremlin has not wavered from its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory.
“President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress. We are proud to work under his leadership. Our goal is to stop the killing in this terrible conflict,” Witkoff wrote on X after the first day of talks.
Zelensky has repeatedly said his country is being asked to make disproportionate compromises compared to Russia.
Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine, including large parts of the eastern Donbas region. The Kremlin wants Ukraine to hand over the rest of the region, which Ukraine has ruled out.
Ukraine says robust security guarantees from the West must come first. This includes guarantees from the US. Only then can any settlement with Russia be agreed upon.
Zelensky spoke to the Axios website on Tuesday. He stated it was “not fair” that Trump kept calling on Ukraine to broker a deal. He added: “I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision.”
Top Ukrainian negotiator Umerov made a statement on social media on Tuesday evening. He said the first day of talks focused on “practical issues.” They also examined the mechanics of possible solutions.
In a video address shortly afterwards, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to refrain from carrying out strikes. This was proposed by the US to both Kyiv and Moscow.
“We don’t need war,” he said, stressing that Ukrainians were “defending our state, our independence”.
“We are also ready to quickly move towards a worthy agreement to end the war. The question is only for the Russians: What do they want?”
The talks are the third round of trilateral negotiations.
Russia’s state news agency RIA quoted a source. The source said that Tuesday’s negotiations lasted six hours. They had been tense and took place in different bilateral and trilateral formats.
The talks are being mediated by Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law.
On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky is the top negotiator.
The negotiations are being held a week before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said 43 Ukrainian drones were shot down over several Russian regions and Crimea overnight into Wednesday.
The night before, Russia carried out a large combined aerial attack on Ukraine, hitting 12 regions with 400 drones and almost 30 missiles. At least three people were killed, Ukrainian officials said.
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