No sign of a breakthrough in Russia-Ukraine talks as latest round ends in Geneva
CBC
The latest U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv over Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine ended Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough and with both sides saying the talks were "difficult," as the war's fourth anniversary approaches next week.
The negotiations in Switzerland were the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but which also made no major headway. Expectations for significant progress in Geneva were low.
"The negotiations were not easy," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the talks broke up and he spoke briefly by phone from Kyiv with his negotiating team.
He earlier accused Russia of "trying to drag out negotiations" while it presses on with its invasion — an accusation he and European leaders have repeatedly made in the past.
Despite that, some progress was made on military issues, although political differences remain deep, including over the future of land in eastern Ukraine that is occupied by the Russian army and that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to keep, Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy described the military discussions as "constructive," adding that the armed forces of both countries considered how any future ceasefire might be monitored.
"Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side," he said in a voice message shared in a media group chat on WhatsApp.
U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on social media that Washington's push for peace in Ukraine over the past year has "brought about meaningful progress," without elaborating.
The two armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line, while Russia bombards civilian areas of Ukraine daily.
Hours after the first day of talks ended on Tuesday, Russian drones killed a woman and injured a six-year-old girl and 18-month-old toddler in the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, officials said.
Overnight, Russia launched one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that it's "too early" to speak about the outcome. Putin has been receiving reports about the talks' progress, he said.
The head of the Russian delegation, Putin adviser Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters that the two days of talks in Geneva "were difficult but businesslike."
Both sides said a new round of talks is set to take place.
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