The United States-brokered talks between officials from Russia and Ukraine in Geneva continued for a second consecutive today, with officials trying to bridge political and military differences stemming from Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine almost four years ago.
After the talks ended, Moscow described them as “difficult, but business-like” and Kyiv called them substantive and said there was progress.
The negotiations in Switzerland are the third round of direct talks organized by the US, after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but yielded no breakthrough.
Russia and Ukraine appear to still be far apart on their demands for a peace settlement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
However, Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement before committing to a truce. Putin’s key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022; Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.
Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow has occupied but doesn’t fully control. Zelenskyy says Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia.
Delivering a short statement after the meeting, Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine and Head of the Ukrainian delegation, expressed gratitude to US “for ensuring that the process continues.”
He disclosed that within the delegation, both political and military tracks were engaged, and security parameters and mechanisms for implementing possible decisions were discussed.
“A number of issues were clarified, while others remained under additional coordination. We’re focused on working through the key provisions required to finalise the process. This is complex work that requires alignment among all parties in sufficient time. There is progress, but no details can be disclosed at this stage.”
Rustem Umerov
He asserted that the next step is to achieve the necessary level of consensus to submit the developed decisions for consideration by the Presidents. “Our task is to prepare a practical, not merely formal, foundation for this,” Umerov said.
He added that Ukraine remains constructive; “the ultimate objective is unchanged: a just and sustainable peace”
Russia’s top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky told reporters from state media that the two days of talks in Geneva were “difficult but businesslike.” “The next meeting will take place in the near future,” he noted.
Fighting Persists Amid Talks
Meanwhile, fighting between the two countries continues. Russian forces launched aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said in a statement.
Moscow launched one ballistic missile and deployed 126 attack drones in the barrage, it said, adding that its air defence units had downed 100 unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian forces have down 25 of 29 missiles launched by Russia on the first day of the talks. “This is an important result for our air defense, and once again, we emphasize that air defense is a daily necessity,” the Ukrainian President said on social media.
He added that Russia “greets with a strike even the very day new formats begin in Geneva – trilateral and bilateral with the United States.”
“Ukraine is ready. We do not need war. … We are ready to move quickly toward a just agreement to end the war. The only question is for the Russians: What do they want?”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy argued that the firing of the missiles as well as the launch of 400 drones showed Russia’s true intent.
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