Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva concluded abruptly on Wednesday after only two hours, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describing the discussions as “difficult” and accusing Russia of deliberately delaying progress toward a resolution of the war. The two-day U.S.-mediated talks were aimed at finding a path to end the four-year conflict, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced millions.
Zelenskyy told reporters shortly after the talks that “we can see that progress has been made, but for now, positions differ because the negotiations were difficult.” He accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage,” highlighting ongoing Ukrainian concerns about Moscow’s approach to the peace process.
The head of Kyiv’s negotiating team, Rustem Umerov, described the second day of talks as “intensive and substantive,” emphasizing that both sides were working toward decisions that could be forwarded to their respective presidents. Russia’s chief negotiator, former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, indicated that further negotiations would take place soon but did not provide a specific date.
The Geneva talks followed two previous rounds of U.S.-brokered negotiations in Abu Dhabi, which ended without significant breakthroughs. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of negotiating in bad faith, even as Moscow has continued its winter bombing campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and pressed its offensive on the battlefield. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians.
Ahead of the Geneva meetings, Zelenskyy posted on social media that his team was working “to bring real peace closer,” emphasizing that “the priority is security guarantees for Ukraine” and that Ukrainian representatives had “clear directives on every aspect of the negotiations.” He said he expected a detailed report following the meetings. Ukrainian officials have also been advocating for greater involvement from European allies, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, in the peace process.
We are working together with the team to bring real peace closer. The priority is security guarantees for Ukraine. Ukrainian representatives have clear directives on every aspect of the negotiations. I expect a detailed report following all the meetings. pic.twitter.com/PCQpQwrnYO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 18, 2026
In a separate interview with Axios published Tuesday, Zelenskyy criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for publicly placing the burden of concessions on Ukraine rather than Russia. Zelenskyy said it would be “not fair” if a peace plan required Ukraine to give up territory not captured by Russian forces in the eastern Donbas region, noting that such a proposal would be rejected in a referendum. He added that he hoped Trump’s comments were “just his tactics and not the decision.”
Zelenskyy said it was “not fair” that Trump publicly pressures Ukraine — not Russia — to make concessions, – Axios
— Gianl1974 (@Gianl1974) February 18, 2026
“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision.” pic.twitter.com/bS9BwMOiYb
The Geneva discussions coincided with the approach of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region seized prior to the full-scale invasion. Recent Russian airstrikes on energy infrastructure have left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without heat and power during a harsh winter. Ukrainian government bonds fell as much as 1.9 cents on the dollar in European morning trading amid reports of stalled progress at the talks.
The first day of talks reportedly focused on “practical issues and the mechanics of possible decisions,” according to Umerov, though Russian sources described the sessions as “very tense,” lasting six hours in a mix of bilateral and trilateral formats. With positions still divergent, both sides appear poised to continue discussions, though the path to a durable agreement remains uncertain.
