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US, Russia, and Ukraine open third peace talks in Geneva
Trump tells Ukraine to "come to the table fast" as Witkoff and Kushner lead delegation·February 16, 2026
Russia, Ukraine, and the United States confirmed a third round of peace talks to begin in Geneva on Feb. 17, 2026, with delegations named and positions hardened on Feb. 16. President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner represent Washington — neither holds a Senate-confirmed diplomatic position. Trump increased pressure on Ukraine on Feb. 16, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: "Ukraine better come to the table, fast." Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov told reporters his team was working "without excessive expectations." Russia launched 29 missiles and 396 drones against Ukraine overnight before the first session, wounding nine people and knocking out heat and water in Odesa. Zelenskyy said the U.S. pushes Ukraine "too often" for concessions and "too rarely" presses Russia. The two previous rounds in Abu Dhabi earlier in 2026 produced no territorial breakthrough, though both sides completed their first prisoner exchange in five months.
Key facts
Russia, Ukraine, and the United States confirmed a third round of U.S.-brokered peace talks for Geneva on Feb. 17-18, 2026, with delegations publicly announced on Feb. 14 and final positions locked in on Feb. 16. The talks are the first held on European soil and come just before the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff represent the United States. Neither holds a Senate-confirmed position.
Kushner brokered the Abraham Accords in 2020 and has been central to Trump's Middle East and now Ukraine portfolio. Witkoff is a real estate developer handling both Ukraine and Iran diplomacy simultaneously.
Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, told reporters the team was going in 'without excessive expectations.' Zelenskyy said publicly that the U.S. too often asks Ukraine to make concessions while too rarely pressing Russia — a direct criticism of Trump's approach.
Russia's delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin adviser who headed Russia's negotiating team in the failed Istanbul talks in March 2022. Medinsky has written books claiming Ukraine has no distinct national identity and demanding Ukraine accept Russian territorial demands. His appointment signals continuity in Moscow's maximalist position.
Russia demanded before the talks that Ukraine hand over the 20% of Donetsk province it hasn't yet captured — territory Ukraine still controls militarily. Russia also wants Ukraine to withdraw from territory it holds, commit never to join NATO, and shrink its military size. Ukraine refused all three conditions.
The night before talks began, Russia launched 29 missiles and 396 drones against Ukraine, wounding nine people including children and cutting heat and water to tens of thousands of Odesa residents. Zelenskyy said the attacks showed Moscow 'regards the partners' diplomatic efforts' with contempt.
The first two rounds in Abu Dhabi produced no territorial agreement. A temporary energy infrastructure pause agreed after Abu Dhabi collapsed after four days when Russia resumed full-scale drone and missile strikes. The only concrete outcome was a prisoner exchange — the first in five months.
U.S. military commanders also attended Geneva alongside the diplomatic delegation. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met separately with Russian and Ukrainian military chiefs to discuss ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and demilitarized zone logistics.
Trump has set an informal June 2026 deadline for a peace settlement. He told reporters on Feb. 16 that the talks were 'big' and would be 'very easy,' while Zelenskyy told Munich Security Conference attendees that sides were 'talking about completely different things.'
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