Ukrainian, Russian, and American representatives convened for the inaugural day of peace discussions at the Intercontinental Hotel. The sessions, kept highly confidential, are scheduled to persist on Wednesday. Delegations from France and the UK were also present in the city.
The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by the United States, commenced in Geneva on Tuesday afternoon amidst measured hopes and a surge of assaults initiated by both Ukraine and Russia just before the meetings.
Taking place at the Intercontinental Hotel and extending until Wednesday, the dialogues are set against a complicated backdrop, with significant differences persisting between the two sides on crucial matters. Very little has been disclosed regarding the topics of the discussions, which have been tightly guarded by all parties involved.
In a post on X at the start of the negotiations, Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov mentioned that "security guarantees and humanitarian issues" were included in the agenda, emphasizing that his team would engage "constructively, focused and without excessive expectations."
The initial phase of political conversations, lasting from 2 pm to 6 pm, ended without any statements from those involved. They are expected to continue at the same location on Wednesday. One of the significant contentions revolves around Moscow’s insistence for Ukraine to surrender land occupied by Russian troops and to withdraw from the parts of the Donbas it still governs,
which Kyiv considers a non-negotiable point. Prior to the discussions, the Kremlin indicated that territorial matters would be part of the dialogue but refrained from providing specific details. Another critical topic pertains to the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,
which has been under Russian control since March 2022. As reported by an anonymous source cited by the Associated Press, military leaders from the US, Russia, and Ukraine were expected to explore the procedures for enacting a ceasefire following any peace agreement,
a subject previously discussed in earlier talks held in Abu Dhabi. However, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged caution against overly optimistic expectations on the first day of discussions.
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