Russia-Ukraine talks live: ‘Difficult’ negotiations end, more planned

Both sides describe US-mediated negotiations in Geneva as ‘difficult’.

Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky leaves after a two hours second round of US-mediated negotiation between Russia and Ukraine seeking to find an end to the four-year war, in Geneva on February 18, 2026
Video Duration 02 minutes 21 seconds 02:21

Russia and Ukraine set for Geneva peace talks as military strikes continue

By Nils Adler and Urooba Jamal
Published On 18 Feb 2026

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  • The United States-mediated talks between officials from Russia and Ukraine in Geneva have ended, with Moscow describing them as “difficult, but business-like” and Kyiv ⁠calling them substantive and saying there was progress.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announces sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko over “his assistance in the killing of Ukrainians”.