After Peace Talks, Zelenskyy Says Russia Delaying Ukraine Deal: 'Made Some Progress But...'

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 18:24 IST

Ukraine and Russia made progress at US-brokered Geneva talks, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but key issues like Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remain unresolved amid ongoing attacks.

Ukraine and Russia made some progress at the US-brokered talks in Geneva, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while accusing Moscow of intentionally delaying progress toward a deal to end the four-year-old war.

The two-day talks took place in Geneva amid continued military escalation, with both sides reporting fresh attacks. In recent days, President Donald Trump twice suggested it was up to Ukraine and Zelenskyy to ensure the talks were successful.

“We can see that progress has been made, but for now, positions differ because the negotiations were difficult," Zelenskyy told reporters in a WhatsApp chat shortly after talks concluded.

AFP quoted him saying that the two sides agreed on “almost all issues" related to a ceasefire monitoring mechanism which will involve the United States.

He added that sensitive issues related to the fate of occupied territory in Ukraine’s east and the future status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remained unresolved.

After the talks, Ukrainian national security secretary Rustem Umerov said the talks were “intensive and substantive".

AFP quoted him saying the next step was to try to reach a level of consensus to “submit the developed decisions for consideration by the presidents".

Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s delegation said the talks were “difficult, but business-like" and that further negotiations were planned for the future, AFP reported.

For the Geneva talks, the Kremlin had reinstated nationalist hawk and former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky as its lead negotiator.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia currently controls most of the Donbas region, a key battleground in the war.

Ukraine said Russia launched around 400 drones and nearly 30 missiles overnight targeting several regions, damaging critical infrastructure and wounding civilians. Russia, in turn, said it shot down numerous Ukrainian drones and reported damage to energy sites following strikes inside its territory.

News world After Peace Talks, Zelenskyy Says Russia Delaying Ukraine Deal: 'Made Some Progress But...'

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