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Russian and Ukrainian delegations wrapped up the opening day of US-brokered peace talks in Geneva, held just one week before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine’s lead negotiator Rustem Umerov said discussions will continue Wednesday morning, yet the Kremlin’s continued insistence on maximal territorial terms casts doubt on any imminent agreement.
Russian strikes on Ukraine continue on a nightly basis, further damaging the country's already battered power grid as subzero temperatures continue.
Just hours before the delegations met in Geneva, Russia carried out a large combined aerial attack on Ukraine, hitting 12 regions with 400 drones and almost 30 missiles. At least three people were killed, Ukrainian officials said.
Meanwhile, Russia said its air defences had repelled more than 150 drones, while an oil refinery caught on fire after a Ukrainian drone strike.
In a statement on social media on Tuesday evening, Umerov, Ukraine's top security official, said the talks focused on "practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions". He said he would now inform Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the results.
In his video address shortly afterwards, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to refrain from carrying out strikes as earlier proposed by the US to both Kyiv and Moscow.
"We don't need war," he said, stressing that Ukrainians were "defending our state, our independence".
"We are also ready to quickly move towards a worthy agreement to end the war. The question is only for the Russians: what do they want?"
Meanwhile, Russia's state RIA news agency quoted a source saying that Tuesday's negotiations, which lasted six hours, had been tense and took place in different bilateral and trilateral formats.
The talks are being mediated by Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the US president's son-in-law.
On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky is the top negotiator.
Both Ukraine and Russia also had senior military figures in their teams.
Ahead of the talks, Trump said Ukraine had "better come to the table fast."
He has previously signalled his impatience with the lack of swift progress in solving the four-year conflict.
Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine, including large parts of the eastern Donbas region. The Kremlin wants Ukraine to hand over the rest of the region, which Ukraine has ruled out.
For Ukraine, robust security guarantees from the West - including the US - must come before any settlement with Russia can be agreed.
