Ukraine and Russia Meet in Geneva for Third Round of US-Brokered Peace Talks as Trump Presses Kyiv
Negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow concluded day one of two-day trilateral talks in Geneva, with territory and security guarantees dominating a session mediated by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
17. Feb. 2026, 22:07
The lobby of the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva was thick with security on Tuesday morning as three delegations — Ukrainian, Russian, and American — filed into a room arranged around a horseshoe-shaped table, Swiss and national flags standing behind each chair. For the third time since January, representatives of two nations locked in Europe's deadliest conflict since 1945 sat across from one another, separated by barely twenty feet of polished wood and nearly four years of war Ukraine, Russia hold peace talks in Geneva as Trump puts pressure on Kyivchannelnewsasia.com·UnverifiedUkraine and Russia held US-mediated peace talks in Geneva as the US president urged a swift deal, despite fresh Russian strikes and limited expectations of a breakthrough. A resident stands at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Feb 17, 2026..
The first day of talks lasted more than five hours, according to Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, who heads Kyiv's delegation. In a Telegram post afterward, Umerov said discussions had centered on practical questions and the mechanics of possible solutions, praising the working atmosphere with the American side Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the.... He stopped short of claiming any breakthrough. The talks are scheduled to resume on Wednesday for a final session Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the....
At the head of the table sat US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, who had spent the morning across town mediating indirect talks with Iranian officials before crossing Geneva to broker this separate negotiation . They were joined by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of US European Command — a military presence that signals Washington's interest in discussing ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and the architecture of any future demilitarized zone Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the....
The territorial question remains the central obstacle. Russia occupies roughly 20 percent of Ukraine's internationally recognized territory, including Crimea and large parts of the eastern Donbas region seized before the full-scale invasion launched on February 24, 2022 . Moscow is demanding that Kyiv withdraw its forces from the remaining portions of Donetsk province that Russian troops have failed to capture — heavily fortified positions atop vast natural resources that Ukraine considers non-negotiable Ukraine, Russia hold peace talks in Geneva as Trump puts pressure on Kyivchannelnewsasia.com·UnverifiedUkraine and Russia held US-mediated peace talks in Geneva as the US president urged a swift deal, despite fresh Russian strikes and limited expectations of a breakthrough. A resident stands at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Feb 17, 2026.. Kyiv has proposed freezing the conflict along current front lines as the most realistic foundation for a ceasefire, a framework Russia has so far rejected Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the....
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of the session that this round was intended to cover a wider range of issues than earlier meetings in Abu Dhabi, including what he described as the main questions concerning territories and everything else related to Russia's demands . Russia's delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide and self-described historian whom Ukrainian negotiators have previously accused of lecturing them about Russia's historical claims to Ukrainian territory as justification for the invasion . He is joined by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, Russia's military intelligence chief, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the....
Ukraine sent a high-level team of its own. Alongside Umerov, the delegation includes Kyrylo Budanov, President Zelenskyy's chief of staff and former military intelligence chief, and senior presidential aide Serhiy Kyslytsya . Before departing for Geneva, Budanov posted a photo of himself standing in front of a train on Telegram, writing that the team would discuss the lessons of their history along the way Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine..
President Trump inserted himself into the proceedings from Air Force One late Monday. He described the Geneva session as big talks and warned that Ukraine had better come to the table fast, declining to elaborate further . The comment drew immediate attention in Kyiv, where Zelenskyy has repeatedly complained that Washington is applying more pressure to Ukraine than to Russia. At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, the Ukrainian president noted that the American side often reverts to the subject of concessions, and that too frequently those concessions are framed as something Ukraine — not Russia — must make Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine..
From Moscow's perspective, the talks are proceeding as planned. Peskov cautioned against expecting developments on the first day, noting that the schedule calls for two full sessions Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.. Russian state media framed Trump's remarks as evidence that Washington recognizes the futility of continuing to support Ukraine's maximalist negotiating positions, a reading that conveniently omits Trump's parallel insistence that Russia must also deal.
The timing carries weight. The Geneva round falls just one week before the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion — a date that concentrates minds in all three capitals . Overnight, hours before the talks opened, Russia launched nearly 400 long-range drones and 29 missiles across 12 Ukrainian regions, severely damaging power infrastructure in the southern port city of Odesa and leaving tens of thousands without heat and running water . Zelenskyy characterized the strikes as an attempt to sabotage the diplomatic track, arguing that escalating Russian violence only makes agreements harder for all parties involved Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine..
European officials were present in Geneva but did not sit at the negotiating table. Senior advisers from Germany, the United Kingdom, and France — including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's foreign and security policy adviser — were in the city to receive briefings from Ukrainian and possibly American delegations after each session . Their presence came at Zelenskyy's request; Russia has consistently opposed European involvement in the negotiations Ukraine, Russia hold peace talks in Geneva as Trump puts pressure on Kyivchannelnewsasia.com·UnverifiedUkraine and Russia held US-mediated peace talks in Geneva as the US president urged a swift deal, despite fresh Russian strikes and limited expectations of a breakthrough. A resident stands at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, Feb 17, 2026..
The structure of the Geneva talks also includes a parallel economic track led by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who is working on a sweeping US-Russia economic proposal that Moscow confirmed last week — a package valued at 1.2 trillion dollars that could reshape bilateral trade and energy relations if a broader peace deal materializes Ukraine team heads for Geneva talks as Moscow, Kyiv build military pressurealjazeera.com·SecondaryUkrainian officials have left for Geneva, Switzerland, where another round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia is set to take place. “On the way to Geneva. The next round of negotiations is ahead. Along the way, we will discuss the lessons of our history with our colleagues, seek the right conclusions,” Ukraine’s Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov posted on his Telegram channel on Monday, along with a picture of him standing in front of a train with two other members of the.... The existence of this side channel raises questions about whether Washington's mediation is aimed purely at ending the war or also at extracting commercial concessions.
For ordinary Ukrainians, the diplomatic maneuvering remains abstract against the reality of ongoing bombardment. Oksana Reviakina, a 41-year-old internally displaced person from Russian-occupied Melitopol, told reporters from a Kyiv metro station during an air-raid alert on Tuesday that she placed no trust in the Russian side Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine..
The path forward narrows with each round. Washington has reportedly set a June deadline for a settlement framework, a timeline that both sides view with varying degrees of skepticism . Zelenskyy said late Monday that Kyiv had accepted every realistic proposal put forward by the United States, including an unconditional long-term ceasefire — positioning Ukraine as the cooperative party while implicitly challenging Russia to demonstrate comparable flexibility Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.. Whether Wednesday's session produces anything beyond another round of what the Ukrainian president has called two sides talking about completely different things will depend on whether Medinsky arrives with instructions from Putin to negotiate, or merely to lecture Trump ups pressure on Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine hold peace talks in Genevaaljazeera.com·SecondaryRussia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet for another round of peace talks in Geneva, as United States President Donald Trump pushes for an end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The two-day talks, which begin on Tuesday, are likely to focus on the issue of territory and come just days before the fourth anniversary, on February 24, of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine..
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Warum dieses Thema
The Geneva peace talks represent the most consequential diplomatic development in the Russia-Ukraine war this week, with direct implications for European security, global energy markets, and the trajectory of US foreign policy under the Trump administration. This is the third round of US-brokered negotiations since January and falls just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. The presence of Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and senior US military officials — including the commander of US European Command — elevates these talks beyond prior rounds. Trump's pointed public pressure on Ukraine ('better come to the table fast') and the overnight Russian missile strikes on Odesa create a volatile backdrop that makes the outcome significant regardless of whether a breakthrough occurs.
Quellenauswahl
The article draws on three cluster signals: two Al Jazeera reports providing the foundational timeline and negotiating positions, and a Channel News Asia/Reuters dispatch with the most current day-one outcomes. Web research added critical details from the Kyiv Independent (European advisers present, Dmitriev economic package, military delegation composition), NBC News (horseshoe table arrangement, ceasefire monitoring discussions), and CNN (photo descriptions confirming seating arrangements). Sources span Western wire services, Middle Eastern outlets, and Ukrainian independent media, providing triangulated coverage of a story where each side's framing differs significantly.
Redaktionelle Entscheidungen
Third round of US-brokered trilateral talks in Geneva, building on two prior rounds in Abu Dhabi. Rich sourcing across Al Jazeera (2 articles), CNA/Reuters, Kyiv Independent, and NBC News. Key additions from web research: European advisers present in Geneva, military leaders discussing ceasefire monitoring, $1.2T Dmitriev economic package, Swiss Federal Councillor Cassis formally opening talks. Article gives equal weight to Ukrainian complaints about asymmetric pressure and Russian demands for territorial concessions.
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Quellen
- 1.channelnewsasia.comUnverified
- 2.aljazeera.comSecondary
- 3.aljazeera.comSecondary
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1 genehmigt · 0 abgelehntFrühere Entwurfsrückmeldungen (3)
• depth_and_context scored 4/3 minimum: Provides solid background on participants, territorial stakes, timing and related attacks, giving readers why the talks matter; could improve by adding more historical context on past negotiation attempts and clearer explanation of specific territorial claims and legal status (e.g., timelines of prior ceasefire proposals and consequences for civilians/economies). • narrative_structure scored 4/3 minimum: Strong lede and clear chronological flow from arrival to sessions and context; nut graf is implicit but could be tightened into an explicit paragraph summarizing the stakes and central question, and the ending is slightly abrupt — add a concise closing that frames likely next steps. • filler_and_redundancy scored 4/3 minimum: Tight reporting with minimal repetition; a few sentences repeat that talks are scheduled to resume and that parties disagree over territory — consolidate those to sharpen pace and remove mild redundancy. • language_and_clarity scored 4/3 minimum: Writing is generally clear, specific and engaging, avoiding vague ideological labels; a few phrases (e.g., "maximalist negotiating positions") could be more precise by specifying the positions referenced — otherwise good clarity. Warnings: • [article_quality] perspective_diversity scored 3 (borderline): Includes voices from Ukraine, Russia, U.S. officials and an individual displaced Ukrainian, plus mention of European advisers, but lacks direct quotes or perspectives from independent analysts, humanitarian organizations, or neutral mediators — add one or two expert or NGO viewpoints to balance state narratives. • [article_quality] analytical_value scored 3 (borderline): Offers some interpretation (timing, U.S. motives, possible commercial angle) but mostly reports events; would benefit from deeper analysis of incentives for each party, plausible scenarios for implementation (monitoring, demilitarized zones), and implications of the $1.2tn economic package. • [article_quality] publication_readiness scored 4 (borderline): Article reads like a near-final news story with sourced reporting and proper detail; remove small formatting oddities (ensure inline reference markers conform to publication style), tighten the closing, and add one attributable analyst quote to strengthen finish before publishing.
1 gate errors: • [image_relevance] Image alt_accuracy scored 2/3 minimum: The alt text names Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but the photo appears to show a different person in uniform; that mischaracterizes who is visible and the specific scene, so the alt text is inaccurate.
3 gate errors: • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "constructive cooperation" • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "The more this evil comes from Russia, the harder it will be for everyone to reac..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "all realistic proposals from the United States, starting with the proposal for a..."
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