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
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.
Key Concepts
Essential concepts and terms to understand this topic
Executive Agreement
A binding international agreement made by the President without Senate approval, as opposed to formal treaties.
Treaty Ratification
The Senate process of approving formal international agreements with a two-thirds vote.
Coercive Diplomacy
A foreign policy strategy using military threats and force as leverage to compel an adversary to accept diplomatic terms.
Key People
6
Steve Witkoff
U.S. Special Envoy
Witkoff is the lead U.S. envoy at Geneva, handling both Ukraine-Russia negotiations and indirect Iran diplomacy in the same city on the same days. He holds no Senate-confirmed position and has no prior diplomatic experience. He has been central to Trump's foreign policy portfolio including the Gaza ceasefire.
Jared Kushner
Trump son-in-law; informal senior adviser
Kushner joined the Geneva delegation alongside Witkoff. He brokered the Abraham Accords in 2020 and remains involved in Trump's foreign policy. He holds no Senate-confirmed position. His presence signals the personal nature of Trump's diplomatic approach.
RU
Rustem Umerov
Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council; Ukraine's lead negotiator
Umerov led Ukraine's delegation in Geneva and told reporters the team was working 'without excessive expectations.' He previously served as Ukraine's defense minister. His presence reflects Kyiv's attempt to elevate the talks to a senior national security level.
VM
Vladimir Medinsky
Adviser to President Putin; head of Russian delegation
Medinsky, a former culture minister who promotes Russian nationalist historical narratives, led Russia's team in the 2022 Istanbul talks that collapsed. His return as lead negotiator suggests continuity in Russia's maximalist demands and hardline approach to Ukraine's national identity.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Zelenskyy said at Munich that the U.S. too often pushes Ukraine for concessions while not equally pressing Russia. He confirmed Ukraine has agreed to all realistic U.S. proposals including an unconditional ceasefire. He publicly stated 90% of a peace framework is agreed but territorial questions remain unresolved.
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Trump told reporters on Feb. 16 that Ukraine 'better come to the table, fast.' He set an informal June 2026 deadline for a settlement and has met with Zelenskyy four times in 2026. His framing consistently places more pressure on Ukraine than on Russia to accept terms.
Claims & Perspectives
True
True
Trump said 90-95% of a Ukraine peace framework is agreed
Trump told reporters after meeting Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago that 'you can say 95%' of a deal is agreed but that one or two very thorny issues remained. Zelenskyy put the figure at 90%, saying security guarantees are 'almost agreed.'
True
Russia launched 396 drones and 29 missiles at Ukraine the night before Geneva talks
Ukraine's President Zelenskyy confirmed Russia launched almost 400 long-range drones and 29 missiles against 12 Ukrainian regions overnight, injuring nine people. The attack cut heating and water in Odesa.
False
False
Jared Kushner holds a Senate-confirmed position in the Trump administration
Jared Kushner does not hold a Senate-confirmed position. He serves as an informal adviser at Trump's direction and has not been confirmed by the Senate for any official diplomatic role.
What you can do
Contact your senators about U.S. conditions in the Ukraine peace talks
civic action
The Trump administration is conducting Ukraine-Russia diplomacy without a Senate-ratified treaty process. Any final peace agreement requiring U.S. security commitments to Ukraine would likely need congressional approval. Senators can signal their expectations for what any agreement must require from Russia.
Learn how peace treaties actually get ratified under U.S. law
educational
The Constitution requires a two-thirds Senate vote to ratify formal treaties. Presidents can also make 'executive agreements' that don't require Senate approval. Understanding the difference matters because it determines how binding any Ukraine peace deal is on future administrations.
Write to your House representative about U.S. involvement in Ukraine and security commitments
civic action
Congress controls foreign military financing. The Trump administration's Pearl Program sells American weapons to Ukraine through NATO partners, but Congress can modify or restrict that funding. Your representative has a vote on foreign military financing appropriations.