Geneva, Switzerland. Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia ended abruptly after about two hours on Wednesday, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy calling the discussions difficult and accusing Russia of trying to delay progress toward a deal.
Talks end after brief session
The U.S.-mediated talks in Switzerland took place as U.S. President Donald Trump has twice in recent days suggested it was up to Ukraine and Zelenskiy to take steps to ensure the talks were successful.
Zelenskiy wrote on X on Wednesday that “yesterday’s meetings were indeed difficult,” adding that Russia was “trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage,” following media reports that the first day of talks had been tense.
Minutes after Zelenskiy’s comments, Russia’s state news agency RIA reported that the talks had ended.
Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told reporters in the lobby of the Geneva hotel where the talks took place that further negotiations would be held soon, without specifying a date.
A Ukrainian official confirmed the talks had ended and said they lasted “around two hours”.
Zelenskiy comments on Trump’s stance and potential concessions
In an interview with U.S. website Axios published on Tuesday, Zelenskiy was quoted as saying it was “not fair” that Trump kept publicly calling on Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions in negotiating terms for a peace plan.
Zelenskiy also said any plan requiring Ukraine to give up territory that Russia had not captured in the eastern Donbas region would be rejected by Ukrainians if put to a referendum.
“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision,” Axios quoted Zelenskiy as saying.
Trump told reporters on Monday, “Ukraine better come to the table fast. That’s all I’m telling you.”
War nears fourth anniversary
The talks came days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, millions have fled their homes, and many Ukrainian cities, towns and villages have been devastated by the conflict.
What steps do you think would be needed for the next round of talks to continue?
