It should be noted that the negotiations were conducted in both bilateral and trilateral formats.
After the first day, the delegations will provide reports to their capitals.
This round of negotiations differs from previous ones not only in the location — now Switzerland instead of the United Arab Emirates — but also in the composition of the Russian delegation. Instead of Igor Kostyukov, who is the head of the GRU, the delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Advisors on national security from four European countries supporting Kyiv were also present in Geneva, as reported by the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Office advisor Sergey Leshchenko confirmed that representatives from France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom are at the negotiations in Switzerland.
As for statements from the Russian delegation, none have been received at this time.
According to Axios, the negotiations have faced difficulties related to Vladimir Medinsky's position. The Economist reports that Kirill Budanov is striving for a swift peace agreement, but part of the Ukrainian delegation opposes this. President Zelensky noted that Ukrainians "will never forgive" if Russia gains control over the entire Donetsk region.
