Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the “significant steps” taken during peace talks with the United States in Geneva but warned that the “main issue” remains Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand for legal recognition of territories occupied by Russia in eastern Ukraine, BBC reported.
After U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss an end to the war with Russia, officials from both sides reported “progress” and a shared goal to continue working.
However, no details have emerged on how to bridge the substantial gap between Moscow and Kyiv regarding territorial issues and security guarantees for Ukraine.
It is now expected that Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet to discuss the most contentious points, although no timeline has been provided.
Territorial integrity remains a key point of divergence between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Moscow should not be rewarded for its aggression with forcibly occupied land, as doing so would set a dangerous precedent.
Following the conclusion of talks in Geneva, Trump suggested on social media that “something good might be happening,” but added: “Don’t believe it until you see it.”
Russian representatives did not participate in the Geneva meeting, and the Kremlin stated that it had not received any information on the outcome of the discussions. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow was aware of “adjustments” made to the plan initially welcomed by Putin.
The 28-point peace proposal, drafted by American and Russian officials in October, was presented to Ukraine last week. Some elements appeared heavily oriented toward Moscow’s earlier demands, raising concern in Kyiv and among its European allies.
