Negotiations within the political group in Geneva reached a dead end today. Sources familiar with the discussions report serious obstacles in the dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.
As reported by "Hvylya", Axios journalist Barak Ravid disclosed the development, citing insiders.
Sources identify the stance of the new Russian delegation head, Vladimir Medinsky, as the primary cause for the halt in the negotiation process. The conditions he put forward reportedly blocked advancement on the political front.
One source noted that the Russian side expressed dissatisfaction with President Vladimir Zelensky's recent public statements. Russian representatives claimed the Ukrainian president was supposedly negotiating unseriously and attempting to boost his ratings ahead of potential elections.
Conversely, the situation on the military track appears different. While political advisors argue, the military group has continued to make progress. Notably, the parties have preliminarily agreed on a ceasefire monitoring mechanism involving U.S.-led drone operations.
Earlier, in an interview with Axios, Zelensky spoke harshly about Medinsky's negotiating style. The President noted that the Russian negotiator, like Vladimir Putin, enjoys philosophizing about the "historical roots" of the war.
"We don't have time for all this shit. We need to make decisions and end the war," Zelensky stated.
The President also disclosed details regarding proposals from American mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They suggested withdrawing Ukrainian troops from parts of the Donbas region to establish a "free economic zone." Zelensky rejected this scenario as unacceptable, emphasizing that Ukrainians would never forgive a unilateral surrender of territory.
"Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. This is part of our country—all these citizens, the flag, the land," he concluded.