Head of presidential office makes first statement on Geneva talks results

The Head of the Presidential Office, who is part of the negotiating group with the United States and Russia, said the Ukrainian team is preparing for the next round of talks in the near future.

"Another round of negotiations in Geneva has concluded. The discussion was difficult, but important," Budanov said.

Geneva talks

Earlier today, February 18, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to hold another round of peace talks. However, no details regarding the date or location have been disclosed.

Previous rounds involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia took place in Abu Dhabi on January 23–24 and February 4–5. While the sides failed to achieve significant progress toward ending the war, they agreed on a prisoner exchange — the first in five months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that during the two-day negotiations in Geneva on February 17–18, the delegations of Ukraine, Russia, and the United States made substantial progress on the military track. At the same time, he noted that discussions on political issues were difficult.

Zelenskyy also stated that the negotiations in Geneva could have already moved to a final stage, but Russia is attempting to delay the process.

Meanwhile, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that significant progress had been achieved after the first day of talks in Geneva.

Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary and head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said that some issues were clarified during the trilateral negotiations in Geneva and outlined the next stage of discussions.

For more details on the second day of talks in Geneva and the outcome of the first meeting, see the full report by RBC-Ukraine.