The Japan Times - Ukraine war talks end in Geneva, neither side signals progress

The talks wrapped up after just two hours, much shorter than the six hours of meetings on Tuesday, according to the head of Russia's delegation.

Neither side elaborated on what they discussed or whether they had agreed on anything, but both signalled the discussions had been tricky.

The United States has been pushing for an end to the nearly four-year war, but has so far failed to broker a compromise between Moscow and Kyiv on the key issue of territory.

The latest talks on Wednesday were "difficult, but business-like," the head of Russia's delegation Vladimir Medinsky told Russian state media after the talks.

While the talks were still ongoing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Wednesday of seeking to "drag out" negotiations and said the first day had been "difficult".

Diplomatic efforts to end the war have for months been deadlocked over the key issue of territory.

Russia is pushing for full control of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region as part of any deal, and has threatened to take it by force if Kyiv does not cave at the negotiating table.

But Ukraine has rejected this demand, which is politically and militarily fraught, and signalled it will not sign a deal without security guarantees that deter Russia from invading again.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The ensuing conflict has resulted in a tidal wave of destruction that has left entire cities in ruins, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians dead and forced millions of people to flee their homes.

Hours before talks began, Russia fired 126 attack drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.

- Breakthrough hopes low -

For the Geneva talks, the Kremlin reinstated nationalist hawk and former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky as its lead negotiator.

Ukrainian national security secretary Rustem Umerov is leading Kyiv's side.

Trump put pressure on Ukraine on Monday to make a deal, saying they "better come to the table, fast".

But Zelensky told Axios on Tuesday it was "not fair" that Ukraine -- and not Russia -- was facing more pressure, adding that lasting peace would not be achieved if "victory" was just handed to Moscow.

"I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision," Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader said late Tuesday he was ready to move "quickly" towards a deal but questioned whether Russia was serious about peace.

Ukraine says handing Russia more territory will effectively "reward" Russia for invading and embolden it to attack again.

Russian drone and artillery attacks overnight and late Tuesday wounded at least one person and caused damage to buildings, according to Ukrainian regional authorities.

Russia has been slowly seizing territory across the sprawling front line for months, claiming control of villages in the southern Zaporizhzhia region and northern Sumy region on Wednesday.

But its wartime economic worries are mounting, with growth stagnating and a ballooning budget deficit as sanction-hit oil revenues drop to a five-year low.

T.Shimizu--JT