Feb 18, 2026, 1:54 p.mFeb 18, 2026, 1:54 p.m
The two-day Geneva negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war that has lasted almost four years have ended without any tangible result. After almost two hours of talks, the Russian delegation left the meeting site on Wednesday, the Russian state news agency Tass reported. An overview.
No tangible results
The results of the round of talks mediated by the USA were not announced. Moscow delegation head Vladimir Medinsky announced another meeting in the near future. “The discussions lasted two days, yesterday a very long time in different formats, today another two hours. They were difficult, but objective,” said the former culture minister and current adviser to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, according to Tass.
Vladimir Medinsky leaves the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva.Image: keystone
Moscow state media even described the atmosphere in Geneva as “very tense”. In contrast, US special envoy Steve Witkoff wrote on X that President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring both sides together had brought “significant progress.”
Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umyerov confirmed the end of the two-day meeting. He also said little specifically about intensive and substantive discussions. “There is progress, but no details can be announced at this stage,” said the secretary of the Ukrainian Security Council. The next step is to reach a “level of agreement” in order to be able to present solutions to the president.
Zelenskyj complains about Moscow’s blockade
Before the second day, both delegations had consulted with their capitals. “Yesterday there were meetings that were not easy, and we can note that Russia is trying to delay the negotiations, which could already be in the final phase,” Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyj wrote on Telegram.
Next week, on February 24th, the war of aggression against the neighboring country ordered by Putin will enter its fifth year. In efforts to end the war mediated by the United States, Russians and Ukrainians last met in January and February in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. From the Moscow side, military and intelligence officers in particular took part.
What role did chief negotiator Medinski play?
In Geneva, Medinski (55) led the Russian delegation, as he did at talks in Istanbul in 2022 and 2025. The journalist Barak Ravid, who is well informed as a political observer for the US news portal “Axios”, wrote about the first day in Geneva for X that the political part of the talks was at a dead end. The reason for this is the positions of the Moscow negotiator.
Two sources with knowledge told me negotiations in the political group in Geneva got “stuck” today. The sources said the reason was the positions presented by the new Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky https://t.co/TdlsT1GKDi
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) February 17, 2026
Russian former culture minister Medinski, who comes from central Ukraine, is said to have given lengthy historical lectures on the history of Ukraine from Moscow’s perspective in previous rounds. Selenskyj also said with reference to him: “Imaginary chats on historical topics have greater meaning for them (the Russians).”
Medinsky is not seen as someone with great power in the Moscow power apparatus, but he is a loyal supporter of Putin’s line. He is one of the authors of new history textbooks that experts classify as propagandistic and anti-Western. Linked to Medinski are the Kremlin’s political demands on Ukraine – a Moscow-friendly government, security policy neutrality, a special status for Russian.
Zelenskyj open to referendum on frontline
In an interview with Axios, Zelensky warned the US leadership against imposing a peace settlement on Ukraine that would not be accepted by the population. Ukraine will not give up any further territories. But he could imagine that his compatriots would agree to freeze the conflict on the current front line, said Zelensky. “I think people would accept that in a referendum.” Such a referendum could be held parallel to presidential elections.
“Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never”
Zelensky rejected a Russian-demanded withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk that they still held. “Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never,” said the head of state “Axios”. According to Zelensky, his government has agreed with the Americans that any agreement requires approval by the Ukrainian population via referendum.
The Ukrainian head of state prefers to resolve the disputed territorial issues at a direct summit meeting with Putin. He had instructed his delegation to raise this issue in Geneva. The Kremlin does not directly reject such a summit, but has repeatedly said that such a meeting would have to be prepared accordingly – and shows no interest in concrete preparations.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with Western help since February 2022. Since Trump took office in January 2025, the White House has been trying to persuade Ukraine and Russia to end the war through negotiations and pressure. (hkl/sda/dpa)