Two days of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia concluded Wednesday without achieving a breakthrough. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of obstructing efforts to resolve the four-year-old conflict under U.S. mediation.
Zelensky described his first day in Geneva as difficult, writing on Twitter that “Russia is trying to drag out negotiations already at their final stage.” The delegations met for a second day at a hotel in Geneva under the auspices of U.S. envoy Steve Valentine and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov reported a conversation with Russian delegate Vladimir Medinsky lasted nearly two hours after formal talks concluded, indicating persistent tensions between both sides.
Russia insisted Ukraine cede the east’s roughly 20% of Donetsk that it could not capture. Meanwhile, Kyiv wanted control over Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhzhia, which Russia deemed unacceptable.
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to quickly agree on a deal despite Moscow’s refusal. He claimed in a recent interview with Axios, “Ukraine better come to the table fast.”
The Geneva session marked the fourth anniversary of Russian’s full-scale invasion, an event that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions from their homes.
Zelensky expressed concern that U.S. mid-term elections might divert Washington’s attention from Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. Kyiv sought robust security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.
Russia continues to occupy about 20% of Ukraine’s national territory, including Crimea annexed in 2014. It has gradually advanced along the roughly 1,200 km frontline, claiming around 1.5% of Ukrainian land since early this year. Recent airstrikes on energy infrastructure left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without heat and power during a severe winter.
Ukrainian delegates also welcomed involvement from European allies like France, Germany, and Britain in the Geneva talks. Despite their absence, these delegations briefed participants on ongoing proceedings and provided essential insights for an informed peace process.