Photograph: Michael Probst/APTwo days of peace talks in Geneva between Ukraine and Russia ended on Wednesday ‌without a breakthrough, with Ukrainian resident Volodymyr Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of stalling US-mediated efforts to end the four-year war. Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov reads a statement following the conclusion of US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva. Kyiv, meanwhile, wants Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear plant, ​to be operated by the US and Ukraine, which Russia has said is unacceptable. Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky leaves after the conclusion of talks with Ukraine in Geneva. In all, Russia occupies about ‌20 per cent of Ukraine’s national territory, including Crimea, seized and unilaterally annexed in 2014.

Source: The Irish Times February 19, 2026 01:29 UTC