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US envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia-Ukraine talks in Geneva made “meaningful progress”, crediting President Trump. However, hopes of a breakthrough remain low, with President Zelenskyy calling US demands unfair and rejecting territorial concessions as Moscow maintains maximalist claims.
United States' special envoy to West Asia, Steve Witkoff, on Tuesday (local time) said that the talks between Russia and Ukraine had "brought about meaningful progress" to end the four-year-long war, BBC reported.
Witkoff's remarks came as the two sides prepared for a second day of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday (local time). After the talks concluded on the first day, Witkoff, in a post on X, wrote, “President Trump's success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress, and we are proud to work under his leadership to stop the killing in this terrible conflict.”
Ukraine says Trump's demand unfair
While Witkoff's remarks paint a positive picture, reports suggest that hopes of achieving a breakthrough continue to be low, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying it "was not fair" that US President Donald Trump keeps asking Kyiv to compromise, and added that "peace wouldn't be achieved if victory is handed to Russia." He further claimed that Kyiv is being asked to make unfair compromises compared to Russia.
Speaking to Axios on Tuesday (local time), Zelenskyy said that it was "not fair" that Trump kept calling on Ukraine to broker a deal, adding: “I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision.”
Ukraine has also claimed that security guarantees from Western countries, including the US, should come before any settlement with Russia can be agreed upon.
Recently, Trump put the onus on Zelenskyy and Ukraine to ensure that talks in Geneva are successful; however, he left Russia out. On the other hand, the Kremlin has not made any change in its stance of maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory. Moscow currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine, which includes large parts of the Donbas region, situated in the eastern part of the country. The Kremlin wants Ukraine to also hand over the rest of the region, a demand which Kyiv has consistently rejected.
Ukrainian leader on the first day of talks
After the first day of talks concluded on Tuesday (local time), top Ukrainian negotiator Umerov said the talks focused on "practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions".
Following this, Zelenskyy, in a video message, said that Kyiv will refrain from carrying out strikes as was proposed by Washington to Kyiv and Moscow.
Additionally, he said that they don't need war, and Ukrainians are only defending "our state, our independence". "We are also ready to quickly move towards a worthy agreement to end the war. The question is only for the Russians: What do they want?"
The talks were the third round of trilateral negotiations and came days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the war. RIA, Russia's state news agency, quoted a source as saying that Tuesday’s six-hour negotiations were tense and were conducted in a mix of bilateral and trilateral formats.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on fo...Read More
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