Russian delegation arrives in Geneva for talks with US and Ukraine

Ukraine talks: Russian delegation arrives in Geneva Keystone-SDA

Russian officials due to take part in talks between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington to find a way out of four years of fighting in Ukraine have arrived in Geneva, a source in the Russian delegation told the press.

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The plane, carrying the Russian delegation led by Russian negotiator and presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, landed in Geneva at around 7:00, the source added.

The Russian delegation is expected to take part in talks on ending the war that began four years ago. While the Ukrainian side wants to focus primarily on humanitarian issues and security guarantees in the talks in Geneva, which are being mediated by the US, Russia wants to force its neighbour to cede territory.

Russia is demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions under their control and wants to incorporate these into its own territory. This is categorically rejected not only in Kyiv – Ukraine’s European allies are also warning against effectively rewarding Russia for its war of aggression and possibly only fueling further ambitions of conquest with such a peace solution.

Shortly before the start of the new round of negotiations in Geneva, Ukrainian President Zelensky warned of a massive Russian attack on energy facilities in Ukraine. “Russia cannot resist the temptation and wants to deal a painful blow to Ukrainians in the last days of the winter cold,” Zelensky said in a video message.

Flight detour

The delegation from Kyiv, led by the Secretary of the Ukrainian Security Council, Rustem Umjerow, arrived in Geneva on Monday. “The agenda items have been agreed upon, and the team is ready to work,” Umjerow announced on social media.

Last week, he also declared a partial ceasefire to protect Ukraine’s energy supply as one of the goals of the next round of talks. In addition to him, the Ukrainian delegation includes the head of the Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya and the deputy head of the military intelligence service HUR, Vadym Skibitsky.

Moscow’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky will be joined by more than 20 people. According to Russian sources, the head of the GRU military intelligence service, Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galusin are also part of the delegation.

According to Russian state media, the Russian delegation had to take a detour of several hours on the flight from Moscow to Geneva because the route from Russia to Switzerland inevitably passes over the territory of NATO and EU member states. According to information from the Ria Novosti news agency, a flyover permit was granted with the help of the US.

The talks between the warring parties in Geneva build on previous meetings in the United Arab Emirates. This exchange was mediated by the US government under President Donald Trump, who sent his chief negotiator Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. In addition to the trilateral meeting, there are also to be Russia-US talks on reviving economic relations between the two countries.

Translated from French by AI/jdp

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