KEY POINTS
- US-mediated Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Geneva ended abruptly on Wednesday.
- Zelensky accuses Russia of deliberately dragging out negotiations.
- Russian negotiator Medinsky describes the talks as “businesslike”.
- US envoy Witkoff said initial discussions had brought “meaningful progress”.
GENEVA: US-mediated peace talks between Ukraine and Russia ended abruptly in Geneva on Wednesday after just two hours, with both sides describing the exchanges as “difficult”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the talks as “difficult” and accused Russia of deliberately stalling progress towards a deal.
“Yesterday’s meetings were indeed difficult, and we can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage,” Zelensky wrote on X shortly before Russian state news agency RIA reported that the talks had concluded.
Before the start of today's work of the delegations in Geneva, I held a meeting with the Ukrainian team.
Yesterday there were meetings in different formats – both bilateral between Ukraine and the United States and multilateral formats. In particular, there were talks between… pic.twitter.com/h7lUq0Lypg
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 18, 2026
A Ukrainian official, cited by Reuters, confirmed the meeting had lasted “around two hours”.
Tense negotiations
The Geneva talks followed a longer round on Tuesday that, according to Russian news agencies quoting a source, lasted six hours and was “very tense”, conducted in bilateral and trilateral formats.
Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, said Tuesday’s discussions focused on “practical issues and the mechanics of possible decisions” but did not elaborate.
On Wednesday, Umerov struck a measured tone, describing the negotiations as “substantive and intensive”.
He said some progress had been made but added that no details could be disclosed “at this stage”.
“This is complex work that requires alignment among all parties and sufficient time,” he said.
Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky acknowledged the talks were challenging but characterised them as “businesslike”.
Speaking to reporters in the hotel lobby after the meeting, he said another round would take place “soon”, without giving a date.
The trilateral negotiations were mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
US signals impatience
Witkoff had expressed optimism after the first day of talks, saying they had “brought about meaningful progress” towards ending the war.
“President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress, and we are proud to work under his leadership to stop the killing in this terrible conflict,” Witkoff wrote on X.
Today, at President Trump’s direction, the United States moderated a third set of trilateral discussions with Ukraine and Russia. Thank you to the Swiss Confederation for being gracious hosts for today’s meetings.
President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war… pic.twitter.com/j3fwQheMmG
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) February 18, 2026
However, Trump has publicly signalled impatience with the pace of negotiations.
On Monday, he told reporters: “Ukraine better come to the table fast. That’s all I’m telling you.”
Zelensky, in an interview with US outlet Axios published on Tuesday, said it was “not fair” that Trump kept calling on Ukraine — but not Russia — to make concessions.
“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision,” Zelensky said.
He added that any proposal requiring Ukraine to give up territory not currently controlled by Russia in the eastern Donbas region would be rejected in a referendum.
Deep divisions over territory
Significant gaps remain between Moscow and Kyiv on key issues.
Russia controls around 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea and large parts of the eastern Donbas region.
The Kremlin is seeking full control of Donetsk and Luhansk, demands Kyiv has consistently rejected.
Another sticking point is the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest. The facility has been under Russian control since March 2022. Ukraine wants it returned.
Zelensky has previously suggested Kyiv could share control of the plant with the United States, a proposal Moscow is unlikely to accept.
Ukraine has also insisted that robust Western security guarantees, including from the United States, must precede any settlement.
The Geneva talks come days before the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war started in February 2022.
Fighting continues despite diplomatic efforts. Russia’s defence ministry said 43 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several regions and Crimea.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 126 attack drones overnight, with preliminary data indicating that 100 were intercepted.
Ukrainian government bonds fell by as much as 1.9 cents on the dollar in European morning trade following reports of stalled progress in Geneva.
The latest meeting follows two previous rounds of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, including discussions in January that led to a prisoner exchange but no broader breakthrough.
Shortly before Wednesday’s session ended, Zelensky indicated that another prisoner swap could be forthcoming.
He also said Ukraine was ready to refrain from carrying out strikes, as proposed by the United States.
“We don’t need war,” Zelensky said in a video address. “We are 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?”
