Dialogue is expected to continue following a third round of trilateral talks between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in Geneva, while no major breakthrough was apparent to end the war.
President Donald Trump was briefed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his son in law, Jared Kushner, Wednesday on the outcomes of talks in Geneva, according to a senior U.S. official.
“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. Both parties agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal,” Witkoff wrote on X following the U.S.-moderated discussion.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there will be another round of talks.
However, each side has indicated the discussions were difficult as questions remain over where specific progress was made.
“They were difficult, but business-like,” Vladimir Medinsky, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said.
“The military representatives discussed certain issues seriously and substantively. However, sensitive political matters, issues of possible compromises, and the necessary meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently worked through,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.
Zelenskyy characterized the military track as constructive to reporters, but on the political side while there were developments noted “so far the positions differ, because the negotiations were not easy.”
“From what I heard, the military basically understand how to monitor a ceasefire and the end of the war, if there is political will. They have basically agreed on pretty much everything there. Monitoring will definitely involve the American side. I consider this a constructive signal,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
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Ahead of the talks, President Trump put public pressure on Ukraine, as Russia continued its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
“Ukraine better come to the table fast, it's all I'm telling you,” Trump said Monday.
Zelenskyy told Axios in an interview Trump’s calls for concessions from Ukraine were “not fair.”
"I think the President would respond to that by saying he does not think it's fair that thousands of Ukrainians are losing their lives and Russians too in this deadly war. And that's why the President and his team have committed a tremendous amount of time and energy in bringing this war that is very far away from the United States of America,” Leavitt said.
