Despite his remarks, expectations of a major breakthrough remain limited. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was “not fair” that US President Donald Trump continues to urge Ukraine to compromise, warning that peace cannot be achieved if it amounts to handing victory to Russia.
Trump has recently indicated that the responsibility for ensuring successful talks in Switzerland rests with Ukraine, without directly referencing Russia’s role.
The Kremlin has maintained its maximalist territorial demands. Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine, including significant portions of the eastern Donbas region, and is seeking control of the remainder, a proposal Kyiv has firmly rejected.
In a post on X following the first day of negotiations, Witkoff said Trump’s efforts to bring both parties to the table had led to meaningful progress and expressed pride in working under his leadership to stop the conflict.
Zelensky has consistently argued that Ukraine is being pressured into making far greater concessions than Russia. He told Axios on Tuesday that it was unfair for Trump to repeatedly call on Ukraine to secure a deal, adding that he hoped it was merely a negotiating tactic rather than a settled position.
Ukraine has stressed that strong security guarantees from Western allies, including the United States, must precede any agreement with Moscow.
In a social media statement Tuesday evening, Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said the initial day of discussions centered on practical matters and the framework of potential solutions.
In a subsequent video address, Zelensky said Ukraine was prepared to halt strikes, in line with a proposal put forward by the US to both Kyiv and Moscow. He emphasized that Ukraine does not seek war and is defending its sovereignty and independence, while expressing readiness to move swiftly toward a fair agreement. He questioned what Russia ultimately wants.
This marks the third round of trilateral talks. Russia’s state news agency RIA cited a source describing Tuesday’s six-hour session as tense, conducted in both bilateral and trilateral formats.
The negotiations are being mediated by Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. Russia’s delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin.
The discussions come one week before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said 43 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over multiple Russian regions and Crimea overnight into Wednesday. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 126 attack drones overnight, with preliminary data indicating that 100 were shot down before reaching their targets.
