- Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky sharply criticized ongoing peace negotiations with Russia during the Feb. 17 to 18 talks in Geneva, saying progress has been insufficient.
- The U.S.-mediated meetings addressed military and diplomatic issues, but Zelensky said key political questions and potential compromises were not adequately advanced.
- Zelensky accused Russia of dragging out negotiations and called for another round of talks before the end of February.
- The potential peace deal between the two countries could significantly affect Ukraine's territorial size, economy and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing.
- Vitaly Kim, a close Zelensky ally and regional governor, urged prioritizing ending the war over holding territory, emphasizing public exhaustion and the need for security guarantees.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has sharply criticized the ongoing peace negotiations with Russia during their two-day round of talks.
"We don't have time for all this shit. So we have to decide, and have to finish the war," Zelensky said at the two-day round of talks from Feb. 17 to 18 between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the United States in Geneva. The trilateral meetings brought together diplomatic and military representatives to explore potential pathways toward ending the conflict.
Zelensky also expressed dissatisfaction with the overall outcome of the Geneva meetings. He said that while military issues were discussed seriously, sensitive political questions, including potential compromises and a meeting between national leaders, had not been sufficiently advanced. He called for another round of talks to take place before the end of February.
"As of today, we cannot say that the outcome of the meetings in Geneva is sufficient. The military representatives discussed certain issues seriously and substantively. However, sensitive political matters, issues of possible compromises, and the necessary meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently worked through.
"We are counting on the next meeting, and it would be right for it to take place still in February," Zelensky said in a video posted on his account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Zelensky also accused Russia of slowing the process, stating that Moscow is attempting to prolong negotiations that could otherwise move more quickly toward a final stage. All this, despite President Donald Trump's revelation that Zelensky himself is the obstacle to peace.
Zelensky ally urges peace over territory as Ukraine weighs the toll of war
Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, according to BrightU.AI's Enoch, aim to achieve a peaceful resolution but may result in significant reductions in Ukraine's size, economic output and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standing.
In line with this, Vitaly Kim, a prominent political ally of Zelensky, urged him to prioritize ending the war over holding territory in an interview with The Independent on Feb. 2, ahead of the Frontline Cities and Communities Forum 2026.
"The land is important, but still, people are more important and the situation is that we do not know what will be tomorrow," Kim said. "So for the Ukrainian people, I think the victory is just stopping the war and some guarantees of security for the future, for our children to have the life that we had before the invasion. I think for the majority of our people, the victory is to have their life like it was before the invasion."
Kim, who led the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky's Servant of the People party during the 2019 elections and was appointed regional governor in 2020, acknowledged that while Ukraine's 1991 borders remain an aspiration, public exhaustion after years of war is a growing factor.
Ukrainian officials like Kim are expressing hope that further talks could take place before the end of February, despite all the disagreements between parties.
Watch this interview from September last year where Volodymyr Zelensky is encouraging Donald Trump to share his peace plan.
This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.
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