In Geneva, Switzerland, on February 18, the second day of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia began. This was reported by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, who heads the Ukrainian delegation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Discussions and Positions of the Parties
According to Umerov, consultations are taking place in groups working on political and military issues. Currently, the parties are focused on clarifying the parameters and mechanisms of the decisions discussed during the first day of meetings. The Ukrainian delegation is set on substantive work, and they promise to provide further information on the results of the negotiations.
“Consultations are taking place in groups by direction within the political and military blocks. We are working on clarifying the parameters and mechanics of the decisions discussed yesterday. We are focused on substantive work. We will provide additional information on the outcomes.”
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated after the first day of negotiations on February 17 that significant progress had been made. According to him, President Donald Trump’s efforts to engage both sides in the negotiation process have yielded tangible results. The parties agreed to inform their leaders and continue working towards reaching agreements. However, the details of the agreements reached have not yet been disclosed.
Involvement of International Partners and Progress of Discussions
Reports from Washington indicate that advisors on national security from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy were present at the negotiations on February 17 as observers. Additionally, Rustem Umerov held a separate consultation with representatives from the USA and European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, after the first day of meetings.
Russian media reported that the negotiations lasted six hours and took place in a tense atmosphere. According to Axios, during discussions on February 17, the political group faced difficulties due to the position of the new head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, while the military group, despite challenges, continued to move forward.
The meetings in Geneva are taking place against the backdrop of another massive attack by the Russian Federation on Ukraine, which carried out missile and drone strikes on the night of February 17, launching 29 missiles and 396 strike drones.
Previous rounds of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the USA, took place in January and February in Abu Dhabi. At that time, the parties were unable to achieve a breakthrough regarding the end of the war, but on February 5, a prisoner exchange was agreed upon — the first in the last five months.
Steve Witkoff described these discussions as constructive and focused on creating conditions for sustainable peace. The issue of a ceasefire was also among the topics discussed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported after the negotiations on February 4 that the list of unresolved issues between Ukraine and Russia had been reduced, but emphasized that the “most difficult” moments remain, including the territorial issue.