Zelenskyy Presses Allies Ahead Of Geneva Talks
Zelenskyy told Munich conference he expects serious Geneva talks on Tuesday and Wednesday, warned the U.S. often seeks Ukrainian concessions, and demanded a minimum 20-year U.S. security guarantee.
Overview
At the Munich Security Conference, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hopes trilateral talks in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday will be serious and the United States too often presses Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions.
The talks follow two prior U.S.-mediated rounds in Abu Dhabi that parties described as constructive but which achieved no breakthroughs, making the Geneva meetings pivotal.
Zelenskyy said the U.S. proposed a 15-year security guarantee while Ukraine seeks a minimum legally binding guarantee of 20 years, and he thanked a bipartisan group of U.S. senators for their support.
Zelenskyy said Russia holds about 7,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war while Ukraine holds more than 4,000 Russian personnel, and Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory.
Zelenskyy said Russia must accept ceasefire monitoring and prisoner exchanges and that elections the U.S. has urged by 15 May can only take place two months after a ceasefire is declared.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the exchanges in measured, largely neutral terms: they attribute claims to actors, frame Zelenskyy’s concerns as his view, and balance Ukrainian assertions with Russian responses. For example, they reproduce Zelenskyy’s phrase “a little bit crazy,” report casualties on both sides, and note ongoing diplomatic efforts without editorializing.
Sources (5)
FAQ
The third round of U.S.-mediated peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled for February 17 and 18 in Geneva.
Ukraine is demanding a minimum legally binding U.S. security guarantee of 20 years, while the U.S. has proposed 15 years.
Ukraine's team previously included Kyrylo Budanov, now Zelenskyy's chief of staff; Russia's delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky instead of Igor Kostyukov.
Russia holds about 7,000 Ukrainian POWs, Ukraine holds over 4,000 Russian personnel, and Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory.
History
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