Surprise, surprise

Surprise, surprise: Russia-Ukraine talks yield no peace breakthrough

The negotiations have largely become political theater for an audience comprising Donald Trump.

By Veronika Melkozerova

Despite the efforts of American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Moscow, Kyiv and Washington concluded another round of talks in Geneva with scant progress toward ending the Russian war in Ukraine.

After two days of negotiations, which were described as intense and messy, both Russia and Ukraine reported that constructive dialogue continues, though the sides remain far apart on key territorial and political issues.

The talks failed to yield any broader breakthrough on halting hostilities, on prisoner of war exchanges or on a truce regarding strikes on energy infrastructure.

The negotiations have largely become political theater, with each side trying to convince U.S. President Donald Trump that the other is to blame for the conflict dragging on.

Ukraine has repeatedly called for stronger U.S. pressure on Russia and concrete security guarantees to end the war. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told POLITICO earlier this month that he believes Trump can force Russian leader Vladimir Putin to make meaningful concessions.

“From what I heard from our group, the talks were constructive. The military negotiations group has a common understanding on how to monitor the ceasefire and the end of the war if there’s a political will to end it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Wednesday, after the talks finished.

According to Zelenskyy, the U.S. will definitely take part in the monitoring if Russia’s war ends, and that’s already a “constructive signal.”

However, when it comes to sensitive political issues, like the territories in Ukraine’s east and ownership of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the sides still have different positions.

“Talks were tough in the political aspect. While I see progress in the military aspect, here there is no such progress. Sides agreed to continue dialogue. But I still will find out more details after Ukrainian negotiators come back,” Zelenskyy added.

Russia also reported that talks were tough, after Wednesday’s meeting lasted for only two hours — following a marathon six-hour session on Tuesday.

“Negotiations were difficult, but businesslike. A new meeting with Ukraine will be held in the near future,” said Putin’s negotiator Vladimir Medinsky after the meeting.

Witkoff said the dialogue alone should be celebrated as a success belonging to U.S. President Donald Trump, but admitted the sides are still just talking rather than agreeing.

This round of talks was not actually “that good,” a person familiar with the atmosphere in the room told POLITICO. The sides came to the table expecting different things and talks were “confusing” in many ways, said the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss private talks.

Indeed, before the negotiations started, Russia’s delegation announced that the meetings would be focused on territorial issues, while the Ukrainian delegation said it was planning to discuss humanitarian and security issues.

“We are focused on working through the key provisions necessary to finalize the process. This is complex work that requires agreement by all parties and time. There is progress, but no details at this stage,” Ukrainian Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said in a statement Wednesday.

“The next step is to reach the necessary level of alignment to submit the developed decisions for consideration by the presidents. Our task is to prepare a real, not a formal, foundation for this. The ultimate goal remains unchanged — a just and sustainable peace,” he added.