Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed discussions with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of trilateral meetings in Geneva involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. The conversations were announced via Zelensky’s Telegram account.
In his statement, Zelensky noted that the talks included some developments following previous meetings in Abu Dhabi. He emphasized that not all details could be shared over the phone and indicated that Ukraine’s negotiating team would present their position next week.
“We appreciate that America always maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives,” Zelensky remarked.
Zelensky expressed optimism regarding the outcomes of the upcoming meetings in Switzerland.
Earlier, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov stated that Ukraine aims to discuss an energy truce during the trilateral negotiations in Geneva.
Background on Ukraine-U.S.-Russia Peace Talks
On December 14-15, 2025, a Ukrainian delegation led by Zelensky held discussions in Berlin with U.S. officials concerning a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. Umerov described the talks as productive, noting that some progress had been achieved.
On December 24, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker reported that four documents were under discussion during the negotiations, with Washington seeking to understand Moscow’s maximum concessions for ending its aggression.
On December 28, Zelensky met with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where they reportedly aligned on the peace plan by 90% and security guarantees by 100%. Following this, they held a joint phone call with European leaders to facilitate further meetings aimed at finalizing these documents.
Russia has also reviewed the documents related to the cessation of hostilities but has not provided clear agreement.
On January 23-24, talks took place in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, focusing on concluding the war and advancing the peace process.
Umerov reiterated that the goal of the negotiations is to move toward a dignified and lasting peace. A White House representative characterized the meeting as productive.
Zelensky has previously highlighted that key issues remain in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with the Ukrainian delegation expecting specific responses from Russia regarding the cessation of hostilities.
On February 4-5, further negotiations were conducted in Abu Dhabi, lasting approximately five hours. Discussions continued the next day.
Umerov announced the start of the negotiations around noon on February 5, later indicating that discussions continued in smaller groups following the trilateral meeting. He reported that during the two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, the delegations from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia addressed methods for implementing a ceasefire and monitoring the cessation of hostilities.
On February 5, President Zelensky stated that the next meeting of the negotiating delegations from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia would take place “in the near future.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has engaged in discussions with U.S. representatives ahead of trilateral talks with Russia in Geneva. The focus of these negotiations includes an energy truce and the ongoing peace process, with previous meetings indicating a productive dialogue between the involved parties.