Zelenskyy on Geneva talks: progress in military area, but none in political one

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said there is some progress in the military area of negotiations following trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia in Geneva on 17-18 February.

Source: Zelenskyy in a comment to journalists following a briefing from the Ukrainian delegation; Rustem Umierov, head of the Ukrainian delegation and Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council

Quote: "Our negotiating team has briefed me on the two-day talks. As regards their substance, you know there are two areas – military and political. I want to say that all three sides were constructive on the military component, at least from the briefing I've just received."

Details: Zelenskyy noted that no such progress had been made in the political area.

"As regards the political area – all the sensitive issues you are aware of – we see that some work has been done, but positions are still different, as the talks were not easy," he said.

He added that the Ukrainian delegation will provide him with further details later.

"Regarding the military area, I've heard of progress. In the political area – well, there was dialogue, agreements to move forward and continue, but I did not hear the same kind of progress as in the military one," the president concluded.

Update: Umierov later said the work in Geneva had been "intensive and substantive".

"Within the delegation, both the political and military tracks were engaged. We discussed security parameters and mechanisms for implementing possible decisions. Some issues were clarified, while others require additional coordination," he stated.

He added that "process continues and moves forward", but emphasised it is "complex work that requires agreement by all parties and time".

"The next step is to reach the necessary level of alignment to submit the developed decisions for consideration by the presidents. Our task is to prepare a real, not a formal, foundation for this. Ukraine is working constructively. The ultimate goal remains unchanged – a just and sustainable peace," Umierov concluded.

Background:

• On the morning of 18 February, the second day of Ukraine-US-Russia talks on the settlement of Russia's war against Ukraine began in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, stated earlier that the latest round of trilateral talks had concluded. He said that the negotiations lasted about two hours and were "difficult but business-like".

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