Ukraine Peace Talks concluded in Geneva, with Zelenskiy accusing Russia of delaying the process

Zelenskiy blames Russia for hindering progress as the Geneva peace talks conclude without any significant advancements after two hours.

Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva concluded unexpectedly on Wednesday after approximately two hours, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of intentionally delaying negotiations intended to resolve the four-year conflict.

The discussions mediated by the US in Switzerland ended without a breakthrough, shortly after Zelenskiy characterized the talks as ‘difficult’ and asserted that Russia was trying to stall progress toward what he referred to as a possible final stage of negotiations.

“Russia is attempting to prolong negotiations that might have already reached a conclusive phase,” Zelenskiy stated on X, after reports indicated that the initial day of discussions was fraught with tension.

RIA, the state news agency of Russia, subsequently reported that the discussions had concluded. Moscow’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, informed reporters that additional negotiations are expected to occur soon, although he did not provide a specific date.

A Ukrainian official confirmed that the discussions had taken approximately two hours.

The discussions took place under growing pressure from US President Donald Trump, who recently called on Ukraine to expedite efforts toward securing a peace agreement. Earlier this week, Trump informed reporters that “Ukraine better come to the table fast.”

In an interview with Axios published Tuesday, Zelenskiy expressed that it was “not fair” for Trump to repeatedly call on Ukraine instead of Russia to make concessions.

He emphasized that any proposal asking Kyiv to give up territory not presently occupied by Russian forces in the eastern Donbas region would be turned down by Ukrainians if it were presented in a referendum.

The Geneva meeting takes place just days ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The conflict has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, the displacement of millions, and the destruction of cities and infrastructure throughout Ukraine.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s Defence Minister and head of delegation, stated earlier that the discussions centered on “practical issues and the mechanics of possible decisions,” while advising against overly high expectations.

Russian sources characterized previous rounds of discussions as “very tense,” with sessions extending for several hours in both bilateral and trilateral formats.

The Geneva talks come after two earlier rounds of US-mediated discussions in Abu Dhabi, which similarly concluded without a meaningful breakthrough, as both parties continued to be significantly divided on issues of territorial control and security guarantees.

Russia occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory, which includes Crimea and sections of the eastern Donbas region. Ongoing airstrikes on energy infrastructure have resulted in hundreds of thousands being left without power and heating throughout the winter.