The Ukrainian delegation has departed for Geneva, Switzerland, ahead of the next round of negotiations scheduled for Feb. 17-18, aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“On the way to Geneva. The next round of talks is ahead,” Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Office of the President (OP), wrote on Telegram, posting a photo near a train.
He added that the team would use the journey to reflect on history and draw the right conclusions, stressing that Ukraine’s interests must be protected.
The talks will be held in a trilateral format involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, with special envoys for US President Donald Trump – Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner – expected to take part.
Key items on the agenda include ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and arrangements for further prisoner exchanges.
The next round of Ukraine peace talks will take place in Geneva on Feb. 17-18, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
Ukraine’s OP confirmed the dates and format. Presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said Kyiv’s delegation is preparing for negotiations.
According to Peskov, the talks will be held in a trilateral format involving Russia, the US, and Ukraine, with Vladimir Medinsky leading Russia’s delegation.
Russian media report that Moscow will send a delegation of at least 15 people, including Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin.
Medinsky – a former culture minister and ideologue close to Vladimir Putin – is linked to propaganda efforts in occupied Ukrainian territories. He heads the Russian Military Historical Society.
Observers also recalled his role in earlier talks, where he cited fabricated quotes attributed to Napoleon and Otto von Bismarck – claims later debunked by Ukrainian officials and historians.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that negotiations remain far from complete, dismissing optimistic claims of progress. He pointed to earlier talks in Abu Dhabi, saying there was “still a long way to go,” and accused Washington of backtracking on proposals discussed in Anchorage.
Previous US-mediated rounds were held on Jan. 23-24 and Feb. 4-5. Trump said a deal was “almost achieved,” while Witkoff called the talks constructive – a view echoed by Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, says a “fundamental difference” remains: Kyiv seeks a ceasefire while holding current territory, while Russia is demanding sweeping concessions and recognition of occupied regions.
Trump told reporters on Friday, Feb. 13, that Zelensky was “going to have to get moving” on peace negotiations with Russia.
“Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelensky’s going to have to get moving, otherwise he’s going to miss a great opportunity. He has to move,” Trump said as he departed the White House for North Carolina.