European intelligence officials have expressed doubts regarding the potential for a peace agreement in Ukraine, despite optimistic statements from U.S. President Donald Trump about recent negotiations. Their concerns were shared anonymously with news agencies, highlighting a perception that discussions are more focused on sanctions relief and business deals than on achieving a lasting resolution.
In mid-February, a new round of tripartite talks took place in Geneva involving representatives from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. Ukrainian authorities indicated that they aimed to discuss the operations of a monitoring mission in the event of a ceasefire, alongside considerations for an “energy truce.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that significant progress was made on military matters during the two-day discussions. However, he acknowledged that political discussions proved to be more challenging. Zelensky remarked that while the negotiations could potentially reach a conclusive phase, Russia appeared to be prolonging the process.
Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and head of the Ukrainian delegation, noted that certain issues were clarified during the Geneva talks. Kirill Budanov, head of the President’s Office, described the discussions as “difficult but important.”
Following the Geneva meeting, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Kyiv and Moscow had agreed to a new round of negotiations, a sentiment echoed by Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation. In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, President Zelensky indicated that a fourth round of talks is planned to take place in Switzerland, expressing a desire for this meeting to occur by the end of February.
European intelligence officials have expressed skepticism about the likelihood of a peace agreement in Ukraine, despite recent negotiations in Geneva. While Ukrainian leadership reported progress on military issues, they noted challenges in political discussions and indicated that further talks are planned.