Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks End Abruptly, Zelensky Says Moscow Trying to 'Drag Out' Negotiations

The second day of peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Geneva ended abruptly Wednesday morning, after just two hours of discussions. Ahead of the sit-down, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had remarked upon the “difficult” first day of negotiations, which lasted six hours, and accused Russia of stalling progress. “We can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage,” he said. “I set a clear task for the Ukrainian delegation—to do everything possible so that the negotiations are nonetheless productive and increase the chances for peaceful solutions.” After the talks ended, Zelensky reportedly told members of the press over WhatsApp: “We can see that progress has been made, but for now, positions differ because the negotiations were difficult.” Rustem Umerov, head of the on-site Ukrainian delegation, also delivered a brief statement, describing the discussions as “intensive and substantive.” “Within the delegation, both political and military tracks were engaged, and security parameters and mechanisms for implementing possible decisions were discussed. A number of issues were clarified, while others remained under additional coordination,” he said. Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, similarly described the talks as “difficult, but businesslike,” adding that “the next meeting will take place soon.” An exact date was not given. TIME has reached out to the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries for further comment. Security guarantees and proposed land concessions remain at the heart of the Ukraine-Russia stalemate. Moscow is fighting for Ukraine to give up parts of the Donbas region that Ukrainian forces still control. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected any such land concessions. The U.S. mediation—led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law—are expected to largely focus on these territorial disputes when talks resume. The Geneva negotiations had already been somewhat overshadowed by renewed fighting. Zelensky said Russia launched a missile strike on the same day talks began. “Russia greets with a strike even the very day new formats begin in Geneva—trilateral and bilateral with the United States. This very clearly shows what Russia wants and what it is truly intent on,” he said, urging U.S. officials to press Moscow to refrain from further attacks. Meanwhile, Zelensky told Axios on Tuesday that it was “not fair” for Trump to have publicly called on Ukraine to make concessions for peace. He said he hoped those remarks were “his tactics and not the decision.” By contrast, Zelensky said his conversations with Kushner and Witkoff do not involve that kind of pressure. “We respect each other,” Zelensky said, adding that he is not a person who folds easily under pressure. Trump told reporters at the White House on Feb. 13: “Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelensky is going to have to get moving. Otherwise, he’s going to miss a great opportunity.” On Feb. 16, the day before the peace talks in Geneva, Trump revisited the topic once more, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “Ukraine better come to the table, fast. That’s all I’m telling you. We are in a position, we want them to come.” Zelensky previously clashed with the Trump Administration over its 28-point proposal to end the war, as the widely-leaked plan reportedly included calls for Kyiv to reduce its army and make territorial concessions—terms Ukraine swiftly rejected, as they have done before.