Russia-Ukraine talks 'difficult but business-like'
發佈日期: 2026-02-19 20:19
TVB News
Two days of peace talks in Geneva between Ukraine and Russia ended on Wednesday with no real breakthrough, with officials from both countries saying discussions were difficult.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was dissatisfied with the outcome while Washington reported "meaningful progress".
With muted hopes of a breakthrough, a Russian delegation arrives at a hotel in Geneva for a second day of U.S.-brokered talks to end the war in Ukraine.
They left several hours later, as expected, no closer to resolving the main sticking points.
The talks were mediated by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Russia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, described the exchanges as "difficult, but business-like".
Medinsky reportedly spoke with the Ukrainians for nearly two hours after formal talks ended.
In his address to the nation, Zelenskyy said: "As of today, we cannot say that the outcome is sufficient," though insisting that Ukraine is determined to achieve results.
The formal part of the discussions addressed territory in Ukraine's east and the fate of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Moscow wants Ukraine to cede roughly 20 percent of the country, including Donetsk, which Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
Kyiv wants Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear plant, to be operated by the US and Ukraine, which Russia dismisses as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, as the fighting continues, Tetiana Khimion, a 47-year-old mother of two, stands ready with her sniper rifle.
A former ballroom dance instructor in Donetsk, she was forced to abandon her career after Russia's invasion and became a sniper in the army.
"I need to express myself. At the same time, sniping is very mathematical - and I love math. This combination of precision and creativity really clicked for me," she said.
Khimion had been practising ballroom dancing since the age of six, became an international-level judge, and taught children at her own studio.
She said she used to travel abroad for competition, representing Ukraine at international events.
