"The team is ready to work" Russia and Ukraine resume peace negotiations in Geneva - focus on these topics
Shortly before the peace talks in Geneva, the situation is escalating again: while Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities, Kiev is demanding security guarantees. Moscow, on the other hand, is demanding territorial cessions.
17.02.2026, 07:02
17.02.2026, 09:24
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- In Geneva, Russia and Ukraine are negotiating an end to the war under US mediation - Kiev is demanding security guarantees, Moscow territory cessions.
- Despite the talks, the Russian attacks continue.
- Selensky warned of new attacks on energy facilities and urged faster Western aid.
High-ranking representatives of Russia and Ukraine are once again negotiating an end to the Russian war of aggression, which began four years ago, starting today in Switzerland.
While the Ukrainian side wants to focus primarily on humanitarian issues and security guarantees at the US-brokered talks in Geneva, Russia wants to secure permanent territorial cessions from its neighbor. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky accused the Russians of already planning the next wave of heavy attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The attacks continued the night before the talks. According to the regional prosecutor's office, one woman was killed in the Sumy region in the north of Ukraine. Six other people were injured. According to military administration chief Serhij Lysak, three people were injured in the port city of Odessa. According to the electricity supplier DTEK, Russian attacks once again hit the energy supply in the Odessa region.
"The team is ready to work"
For its part, the Ukrainian military took aim at targets in Russia. According to the civil defense staff of the Krasnodar region in southern Russia, there was a fire at an oil refinery in Ilski as a result of a drone attack.
The delegation from Kiev, led by the Secretary of the Ukrainian Security Council, Rustem Umjerov, arrived in Geneva on Monday. "The items on the agenda have been agreed and the team is ready to work," Umjerov announced on social media.
Last week, he also declared a partial ceasefire to protect Ukraine's energy supply as one of the goals of the next round of talks. In addition to him, the Ukrainian entourage includes the head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya and the deputy head of the HUR military intelligence service, Vadym Skibitsky.
Russian delegation must fly over NATO territory
According to the Kremlin, the negotiations must go beyond security and military issues and also include territorial issues. Russia is demanding a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions under their control and wants to incorporate them into its own territory.
This is not only categorically rejected in Kiev - Ukraine's European allies also warn against rewarding the aggressor Russia for its war of aggression and possibly only fueling further desire for conquest with such a peace solution.
The group of more than 20 people from Moscow is led by chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky. According to Russian sources, the head of the GRU military intelligence service, Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galusin are also taking part.
Talks build on meeting in Emirates
According to Russian state media, the Russian delegation had to take a detour of several hours on the flight from Moscow to Geneva: As the route from Russia to Switzerland inevitably leads over the territory of NATO and EU member states, overflight permission was granted with the help of the USA, according to information from the Ria Novosti agency.
The talks between the warring parties in Geneva build on previous meetings in the United Arab Emirates. This exchange was mediated by the US government under President Donald Trump, who sent his chief negotiator Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In addition to the three-way meeting, there are also to be Russian-American talks on reviving economic relations between the two countries.
Selensky urges faster replenishment
Shortly before the start of the new round of negotiations in Geneva, Ukrainian President Zelensky warned against a massive Russian attack on energy facilities in Ukraine. "Russia cannot resist the temptation and wants to inflict a painful blow on the Ukrainians in the last days of the winter cold," said Zelenskyi in a video message.
Unlike the Ukrainians, the Russians are not prepared to compromise. "Russia rejects everything, continues the assaults on the front and the air strikes on our cities and energy supply." The leadership in Moscow must therefore be forced to make peace, for example with new sanctions.
Selensky also called on the Western allies to quickly strengthen Ukraine's air defenses. "It is necessary that what we discussed with our partners in Munich (at the recent security conference) is implemented promptly," emphasized the head of state. The longer the deliveries took, the greater the damage caused by the Russian attacks.
Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for almost four years with Western help. Since the fall, the attackers have intensified their attacks with combat drones and missiles on Ukrainian energy facilities. In one of the harshest winters for years, millions of Ukrainians are suffering from power, heating and water cuts.
