Geneva Talks Between Russia and Ukraine End Abruptly Amid Tensions

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States in Geneva, Switzerland, ended abruptly on Wednesday, with both sides describing the discussions as difficult.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the negotiations were “tough” and accused Russia of deliberately delaying progress toward a final peace agreement.

Writing on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said Moscow was employing tactics aimed at slowing the talks, despite what he described as the possibility of already reaching the final stage of a deal.

Russia’s state news agency reported that the talks concluded shortly after Zelenskyy’s remarks. Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said a new round of negotiations would take place soon but did not provide a specific date. Ukrainian officials said the meeting lasted nearly two hours.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently commented that Ukraine should move quickly toward compromise to ensure the success of the negotiations. In response, Zelenskyy said it was unfair to demand concessions only from Kyiv.

He added that any proposal requiring Ukraine to relinquish territory in eastern Donbas that Russia has failed to capture would be rejected by Ukrainian citizens in a referendum.

A Russian source described the discussions as “very tense,” saying they lasted up to six hours across bilateral and trilateral formats.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said the talks focused mainly on the practical aspects and structure of possible decisions.

Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described the negotiations as having brought “meaningful progress” toward ending the war, adding that both sides agreed to continue discussions.

Medinsky said the talks were difficult but “businesslike and constructive,” and expressed hope that a new meeting would be scheduled soon.

Russia continues to demand the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from certain areas of eastern Ukraine, a condition Kyiv has firmly rejected.

Separately, Zelenskyy announced sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, accusing him of assisting in the killing of Ukrainians.

In Moscow, Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, warned that Russia’s navy could be deployed if Western countries attempt to seize Russian oil tankers as part of sanctions enforcement.

The developments underscore the fragile and uncertain path toward a negotiated settlement, as diplomatic efforts continue amid ongoing hostilities and rising geopolitical tensions.