Dialog precedes assembly between US and Ukrainian envoys in Geneva on Thursday.
Printed On 25 Feb 2026
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned he spoke with United States President Donald Trump about ongoing peace negotiations with Russia, which he expects to quickly progress right into a leaders-level assembly.
Zelenskyy mentioned the cellphone dialog, joined by US envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, befell Wednesday evening earlier than US and Ukrainian officers meet in Geneva for extra discussions.
Really useful Tales
checklist of 4 gadgetsfinish of checklist
The decision lasted half an hour, in line with Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn.
Trump and Zelenskyy lined points on the agenda for the assembly, in addition to preparations for the subsequent spherical of trilateral discussions that may embrace Russian officers, anticipated in early March.
“We anticipate this assembly to create a possibility to maneuver talks to the leaders’ stage,” mentioned Zelenskyy, including that might be “the one option to resolve all of the complicated and delicate points and eventually finish the struggle”.
The Ukrainian president beforehand known as for a direct assembly along with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to sort out excellent points in negotiations.
Prisoner swap on the desk
Thursday’s assembly in Geneva brings collectively Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, and Kushner and Witkoff, mentioned Kyiv.
It should handle particulars of a potential post-war restoration plan for Ukraine, preparations for the upcoming trilateral assembly with Moscow officers in March, and a possible prisoner swap, in line with Zelenskyy.
Individually, Russia’s financial affairs envoy Kirill Dmitriev will probably be within the metropolis to fulfill US negotiators “on financial points”, the state-run TASS information company cited an unnamed diplomatic supply as saying.
The flurry of talks is a part of a renewed peace push spearheaded by Trump that has but to supply a breakthrough to finish the four-year struggle, which has killed lots of of hundreds of individuals, upended life for thousands and thousands of Ukrainians, and triggered far-reaching safety considerations in Europe.
Addressing a information convention in Kyiv earlier alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Retailer, Zelenskyy mentioned Thursday’s assembly would come with discussions of a “prosperity bundle”.
Zelenskyy mentioned the US needed to discover a option to finish the battle as quickly as potential – Europe’s largest since World Conflict II. However Moscow and Kyiv stay far aside of their positions.
“In my view, the difficulties usually are not on the navy stage proper now. The issue lies within the political will to finish this struggle and within the difficulty of territories,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“I believe that trilateral talks will probably be held in early March. Tomorrow, financial paperwork will probably be ready at a bilateral assembly between Ukraine and the US.”
The most recent evaluation from the World Financial institution launched on Monday confirmed rebuilding Ukraine’s economic system will price an estimated $588bn.
Since beginning direct talks in January, Russia and Ukraine seem deadlocked on main problems with territory and safety ensures.
Moscow desires Kyiv to cede management of the Donbas, its industrial heartland, which Moscow principally occupies however has did not seize fully. Ukraine has rejected that demand and mentioned it won’t signal a deal with out safety ensures from its allies, together with the US, to discourage a future Russian invasion.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy delivered a message of resolve on the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, saying Moscow has failed to interrupt Ukrainians’ spirit or win the struggle it began.
The Kremlin acknowledged it has not absolutely achieved its war goals and mentioned it will proceed combating till it does.
