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Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Switzerland on Tuesday for another round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations, just days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The two-day discussions are being held in Geneva, though expectations for a breakthrough remain limited as both sides continue to stand firm on territorial claims and security arrangements. The United States has reportedly set a June deadline for reaching a settlement.
The Ukrainian delegation is led by Rustem Umerov, who shared images of the trilateral meeting showing representatives seated around a horseshoe-shaped table. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were positioned at the center, with U.S., Russian, Ukrainian and Swiss flags displayed behind them.
“The agenda includes security and humanitarian issues,” Umerov said, adding that Ukrainians will work “without excessive expectations.”
According to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity, discussions over Russian-occupied territory are expected to be among the most difficult. Moscow continues to insist that Ukraine relinquish control of the eastern Donbas region.
Military officials from the United States, Russia and Ukraine are also in Geneva to examine how ceasefire monitoring mechanisms might function if a deal is reached, as well as how implementation could proceed. Previous talks in Abu Dhabi explored options for a potential demilitarized zone and communication channels between the armed forces of both countries.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against expecting immediate progress on the first day of talks, noting that discussions would continue Wednesday.
Trump calls negotiations ‘big’
U.S. President Donald Trump described the Geneva meeting as “big talks.”
“Ukraine better come to the table fast,” he told reporters late Monday while traveling from Florida to Washington.
The comment came as Ukraine remains engaged in negotiations aimed at ending the war, even as fighting continues along the roughly 1,250-kilometer front line. Ukrainian forces remain locked in an attritional conflict with larger Russian units, while civilians face repeated aerial strikes that have damaged infrastructure and left thousands without electricity and water.
Overnight, Russia launched nearly 400 long-range drones and 29 missiles targeting 12 Ukrainian regions, according to Ukrainian officials. Nine people were injured, including children.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the southern port city of Odesa saw tens of thousands of residents left without heating and running water. He called for accountability over continued strikes.
“The more this evil comes from Russia, the harder it will be for everyone to reach any agreements with them. Partners must understand this. First and foremost, this concerns the United States,” Zelenskyy said on social media.
“We agreed to all realistic proposals from the United States, starting with the proposal for an unconditional and long-term ceasefire,” he added.
The Russian delegation is headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an adviser to President Vladimir Putin who previously led negotiations in Istanbul in 2022. On the U.S. side, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, and U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll are attending meetings with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, according to a Pentagon spokesman.
Even as diplomatic talks proceed, hostilities continue. A Ukrainian security official said Kyiv’s forces used long-range drones to target the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in Russia’s Krasnodar region and the Metafrax Chemicals plant in Perm, more than 1,600 kilometers from Ukraine’s border. The strikes reportedly sparked fires at the facilities.
The Geneva negotiations are unfolding alongside separate indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in the Swiss city.
With roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory under Russian control or claim, questions surrounding territorial sovereignty and postwar security guarantees remain central to any prospective settlement.