US President issues warning to Ukraine ahead of Geneva talks
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump expects Kyiv to play an active role in the upcoming negotiation process in Geneva. The talks are scheduled for February 17–18 and will address security-related issues, according to the White House on its YouTube channel.
Read also: Ukrainian delegation heads to Geneva for new round of talks
Talks in Geneva
Speaking with journalists, the White House chief of staff commented on the forthcoming Geneva meeting involving a US delegation.
Reporters asked what outcomes he expects from the contacts and what role Ukraine should play in them.
Trump’s stance on Kyiv’s participation
In response to the question, Donald Trump emphasized the importance of the upcoming talks and said Ukraine should join the dialogue as soon as possible.
He made it clear that Washington is counting on such a step from Kyiv and considers the participation of the Ukrainian side a necessary element of the further process.
The Ukrainian delegation has arrived in Geneva to participate in the next round of trilateral negotiations. The new round of dialogue will begin tomorrow, as officially announced by the head of the delegation, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.
“The Ukrainian delegation has already arrived in Geneva. Tomorrow, we begin the next round of negotiations in the trilateral format,” Umerov wrote.
According to him, the meeting agenda had been agreed in advance, and the Ukrainian representatives are fully prepared for work. The NSDC secretary stressed that the Ukrainian side is committed to constructive dialogue and substantive discussions on security and humanitarian issues. The goal of the negotiations is progress toward a dignified and lasting peace.
Third round of negotiations
A third round of consultations involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US will take place in Geneva. The sides previously met twice in Abu Dhabi. The Ukrainian delegation includes Rustem Umerov and Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Presidential Office. Kyiv intends to raise the issue of a so-called energy ceasefire.
Ahead of the next round of talks in Geneva, Russia adjusted the composition of its delegation. It will again be led by an aide to Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Medinsky, known for controversial historical statements, raising questions amid expectations of substantive discussions on mechanisms for monitoring a possible ceasefire.
Notably, ahead of the Geneva talks, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War drew attention to rhetoric from Russian representatives suggesting that Moscow is not limited to seeking control over parts of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. According to experts, statements by Russian officials indicate broader demands toward Ukraine that go beyond purely territorial issues.
