Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said he hopes next week’s US brokered peace talks in Geneva will be meaningful and productive, but he made it clear that he has serious concerns about how the negotiations are shaping up.
As per reports, while speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said, “We truly hope that the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all us but honestly sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things.” His remarks reflected both cautious optimism and visible frustration over the direction of the discussions.
Zelenskyy Flags Pressure From Trump
The talks, being facilitated by the United States, come at a delicate time in the war between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskyy acknowledged feeling pressure from US President Donald Trump, who recently urged him not to miss what he described as an opportunity for peace. Addressing that pressure directly, Zelenskyy said, “The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia.” He added that he was feeling “a little bit” of pressure from Trump, as per reports.
While voicing unease, Zelenskyy stressed that he still wants Washington to remain actively involved in the process. He also expressed hope that Europe, which he suggested has been sidelined in recent discussions, would be given a larger role going forward. In the past, Zelenskyy has warned that US Congressional mid-term elections could shift Washington’s focus toward domestic politics later in the year, potentially affecting sustained engagement.
Zelenskyy Watches Russia’s Geneva Move
According to reports, Ukraine and Russia have already held two recent rounds of talks brokered by Washington in Abu Dhabi. Both sides described those meetings as constructive, but they produced no major breakthroughs.
Russia has now said its delegation to Geneva will be led by Kremlin adviser Vladimir Medinsky, replacing military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, who headed the Abu Dhabi delegation. Ukrainian sources have previously criticised Medinsky’s approach, accusing him of delivering history lessons during talks instead of engaging in serious, substantive negotiations.
