Trump envoy reports ‘progress’ at Russia-US-Ukraine talks
The Russian, US and Ukrainian delegations have achieved “meaningful progress” during the third round of trilateral negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has said.
The two-day talks aimed at settling the Ukraine conflict kicked off in Switzerland on Tuesday. The parties had previously held two meetings in a similar format in Abu Dhabi in January.
Witkoff wrote on X on Wednesday that “President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress.”
Following the first day of discussions, the Russian and Ukrainian teams “agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal,” he said.
The envoy also thanked the Swiss authorities for being “gracious hosts.”
According to RT’s source, the negotiations in Geneva will resume at 8:00 GMT (9am local time) on Wednesday. “The work will continue on two tracks – in the military and political working groups,” the sources said.
The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said on Telegram that during the first day of the talks, “discussions focused on practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions.”
According to Umerov, he also held separate meetings with representatives of the US and Kiev’s European backers: France, the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
“It is important to maintain a common vision and coordination of actions between Ukraine, the US and Europe. There is an understanding of joint responsibility for the result. Let’s work further,” he said.
There have so far been no statements from the head of the Russian team, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Moscow normally declines to publicly comment on the details of sensitive negotiations, arguing that Ukraine-style ‘megaphone diplomacy’ is counterproductive.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the members of the Russian delegation in Geneva intended “to discuss a broader range of issues, including the main questions concerning territories... and those related to the demands we have.”
Moscow maintains that any sustainable settlement of the Ukraine requires Kiev to withdraw from the areas still under its control in Donbass – which voted to join Russia in referendums in the fall of 2022 – give up on its NATO aspirations, and commit to demilitarization and denazification.
