Zelenskyy expects next Russia talks before February ends, urges European presence

2026-02-18 - 22:42

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Wednesday that he anticipates another round of negotiations with Russia before the end of February, following two days of trilateral talks in Geneva involving Ukrainian, American, and Russian delegations. In a video statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy characterized the military track discussions as "substantive" while noting that political issues remain "not sufficiently worked out," indicating partial but incomplete progress toward a potential settlement framework. European Participation Essential Zelenskyy emphasized the critical importance of European involvement in future talks, specifying that "France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and also Switzerland as the host country" should participate. "We consider Europe's participation in the process to be critically necessary for the further successful implementation of entirely possible agreements," he stated, adding that "Ukraine has no doubt that the partners can ensure the constructive nature of the negotiation process and, consequently, a worthy result." The Ukrainian leader noted that his delegation, together with American counterparts, had already met with European representatives from the five nations during the Geneva talks. Negotiation Structure and Upcoming Agenda According to Zelenskyy, the Geneva discussions proceeded along two parallel tracks—military and military-political issues—with various bilateral and multilateral formats employed. He indicated that humanitarian issues, including steps for exchanging prisoners of war and releasing civilians, would be addressed in the coming days. The Ukrainian president held a video conference with his negotiation team before Wednesday's talks commenced, coordinating Kyiv's positions ahead of the discussions. Russia Awaits Delegation Report Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that members of the Russian delegation would report outcomes to President Vladimir Putin "at the first opportunity" upon their return. Urging patience, Peskov declined to comment on the location for the next round of negotiations, stating "nothing can be said yet." When asked whether the shorter duration of Wednesday's talks compared to the first day indicated lack of progress, Peskov dismissed the suggestion, and he refrained from assessing either the constructiveness of Ukraine's stance or the US role in the process, citing the need for delegation reports before drawing conclusions.