Ekaterina Girnyk06:33, 17.02.26

Trump demands that Kyiv quickly conclude a deal with Russia.

Ahead of the new round of trilateral peace talks in Geneva on February 17-18, US President Donald Trump issued a warning to Ukraine, stating that he expects Kyiv to actively participate in the upcoming negotiation process and hopes for Ukraine to reach an agreement with Russia as soon as possible.

According to The Guardian , in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump increased pressure on Ukraine to quickly reach a deal with Russia.

“Ukraine had better sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible,” the US President said.

The two-day meeting in Switzerland, beginning Tuesday, is expected to be similar to the talks held earlier this month in Abu Dhabi, with representatives from Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow participating. American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will represent the Trump administration at the talks.

At the same time, despite renewed US efforts to step up diplomacy, hopes for a sudden breakthrough remain low as Russia continues to make maximalist demands on Ukraine.

The US-brokered peace talks, the Kremlin says, will likely focus on land issues, which are the main stumbling block. Beyond territorial disputes, Russia and Ukraine remain at odds over issues such as control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the possible role of Western troops in post-war Ukraine.

(C)UNIAN 2026