Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that a bilateral meeting between Ukrainian and American delegations is scheduled for February 26 in Geneva, Switzerland. He also indicated that a subsequent round of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia is expected to take place in early March.
Zelensky shared this information with journalists, as reported by Suspilne. He noted that Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), will meet with American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, accompanied by Minister of Economy Oleksii Sobolev. This meeting will focus on discussions surrounding the so-called “Prosperity Package.”
“I just spoke with Rustem Umerov, who will meet with the American negotiators tomorrow. This will be a bilateral meeting with the American side,” Zelensky stated.
Following this, preparations will commence for the trilateral talks involving Russia, which Zelensky anticipates will occur in early March. He expressed hope for positive outcomes in discussions regarding prisoner exchanges, emphasizing the humanitarian aspect of these negotiations.
On February 24, U.S. Special Envoy Steven Witkoff mentioned that he and Jared Kushner would meet with Umerov in Geneva on the 26th. This meeting is part of ongoing efforts to address the conflict.
Previously, on February 17-18, Geneva hosted the first day of a new round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia aimed at concluding the ongoing war. Following the initial discussions, Umerov stated that delegations continued their work in smaller groups, focusing on practical issues and potential solutions.
On the same day, Umerov held a separate meeting with representatives from the U.S., France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland to review the outcomes of the first day of talks and to align their approaches for future steps.
Witkoff reported “significant progress” following the first day of negotiations, stating that both sides agreed to provide updated information to their leaders and to continue working towards a peace agreement.
The second day of talks, February 18, saw Umerov describe the discussions as “intensive and substantive.” He indicated that both political and military tracks were addressed, including security parameters and mechanisms for implementing potential agreements. He noted that some issues were clarified while others would require further coordination.
Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky characterized the round of talks as “difficult but businesslike.” Zelensky remarked that the discussions had achieved a level of “constructiveness” regarding ceasefire monitoring, with American involvement confirmed.
On the same day, Kirilo Budanov, head of the President’s Office and a member of the Ukrainian negotiation team, announced that a new meeting would be scheduled soon. On February 23, Budanov indicated that the next round of peace talks involving Ukraine and Russia, with U.S. participation, was planned for the last days of February, around February 27, plus or minus a day or two.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a bilateral meeting with U.S. officials in Geneva on February 26, followed by trilateral negotiations with Russia in early March. The discussions aim to address various aspects of the ongoing conflict, including humanitarian issues and ceasefire monitoring.