Ukraine and Russia meet in Geneva as Trump presses Kyiv for quick deal

Ukraine and Russia meet in Geneva as Trump presses Kyiv for quick deal

Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia met on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, for the first of two days of US-mediated peace talks. US President Donald Trump is urging Moscow and Kyiv to reach a deal to end Europe’s largest war since 1945. However, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, has expressed concerns about the pressure to make concessions.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s lead negotiator, stated that the discussions focus on 'security and humanitarian issues.' The talks follow two rounds of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, which did not yield a breakthrough. The political portion ended Tuesday evening, while military representatives continued their discussions at a hotel in Geneva.

Before the talks began, Russia conducted heavy air strikes in Ukraine, causing significant damage to Odesa's power network, leaving tens of thousands without heat or water. Zelensky condemned these actions and called for international support to press Russia for a 'real and just' peace deal through tougher sanctions and weapons supplies.

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