Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it is “not fair” that President Donald Trump more often urges Kyiv to compromise than Moscow, as two days of negotiations in Switzerland ended early.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Two days of negotiations aimed at advancing a settlement to the Ukraine war concluded abruptly Wednesday morning in Geneva, with the second session lasting approximately two hours as both sides described the discussions as difficult.
Amid the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly criticized what he characterized as uneven pressure from Washington. Speaking as the first session began, Zelensky said it is “not fair” that U.S. President Donald Trump has more frequently called on Ukraine to make concessions than Russia, according to Axios.
Despite his remarks, Zelensky reportedly noted that interactions with U.S. negotiators behind closed doors were conducted with “respect.”
The Geneva meetings marked the third round of trilateral discussions involving delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States seated together. Reports indicate that representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland were also involved in broader multilateral conversations surrounding the talks.
Russia has previously expressed objections to expanded European participation in negotiations or in any ceasefire framework. It remains unclear whether Russian representatives took part in those broader multilateral sessions this week or limited their involvement to the trilateral format.
According to reporting, U.S. and Ukrainian officials have discussed the possibility that any durable peace agreement would require significant concessions from Kyiv—potentially substantial enough to necessitate a national referendum in Ukraine. Zelensky is said to have indicated that securing approval from Ukrainian voters would depend on presenting the outcome as a success rather than a defeat.
He reportedly warned that simply transferring the remaining portions of the Donbas region still under Ukrainian control to Moscow would be viewed domestically as an “unsuccessful story.” Zelensky was quoted as saying: “Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive… me, they will not forgive [the U.S.].”
A ceasefire arrangement that would allow Ukrainian forces to remain at their current defensive positions, without further territorial withdrawal, would be more acceptable to the public, he is reported to have said.
Wednesday’s abrupt conclusion of the talks underscored the distance still separating the parties. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described the discussions as “intense and substantive,” while acknowledging that they were demanding. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky characterized the meetings as “difficult, but businesslike.”
Zelensky later stated, “We can see that some groundwork has been done, but for now the positions differ, because the negotiations were not easy.”
Both sides had earlier described the sessions as “very tense.”
While Zelensky suggested that the talks could be approaching what he called a “final stage,” he also accused Russia of attempting to prolong the process. The early adjournment and contrasting assessments from participants indicate that substantial differences remain unresolved.
As negotiations continue, questions persist about the scope of concessions under discussion, the potential role of European governments, and whether the current diplomatic framework can produce an agreement acceptable to Kyiv, Moscow and Washington.
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