“Negotiations in the political group in Geneva are “stuck” today. The reason was the positions presented by the new chief Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky,” the journalist wrote.
🇺🇦🇷🇺🇺🇸Two sources with knowledge told me negotiations in the political group in Geneva go “stuck” today. 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
Following the first day of trilateral negotiations, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov, said that discussions focused on practical issues and the mechanics of probable solutions. According to him, a report will be prepared for the president, and the groups will continue their work on February 18.
The Russian propaganda agency TASS wrote that the first day of talks in Geneva lasted about six hours and were “intense.”
Context
The third round of negotiations to achieve peace in Ukraine is currently taking place in Geneva. Previous ones took place 23rd And January 24 And February 4–5. They were called in the Ukrainian delegation constructive. The Russian team at these negotiations was headed by the Chief of the GRU of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Igor Kostyukov.
On February 13, the spokesman for the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, said that negotiations would take place in Geneva on February 17–18 and that the Russian delegation would be headed by Putin's assistant Vladimir Medinsky.
For Ukraine, the replacement of the leader of the Russian group came as a surprise, President Vladimir Zelensky noted. In his opinion, this decision indicates that the Russians want to delay negotiations again.
Medinsky is known for his interpretations of historical events. He began negotiations in Turkey in the spring of 2025 lecture with a distorted presentation of the history of Ukraine and Russia, in particular, he stated that supposedly “Russians are killing Russians”told Sergei Kislitsa, who was then the first deputy head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Medinsky also said that Ukraine and the Russian Federation were supposedly “destined to be close allies.” A source in the Russian authorities explained that Putin sent Medinsky to negotiations to “make fun of the world.”
