Russian and Ukrainian delegations convened in Geneva on Tuesday, February 17 for a new round of talks—as part of the latest push by the United States to end the four-year war.
President Donald Trump aims to play a key role as the central peacemaker in the conflict that began in February 2022, telling reporters:
Ukraine better come to the table, fast.
As the Ukrainian team arrived on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism, stating that the Russian army has “no orders other than to continue striking.” Overnight, Russia claimed to have repelled over 150 drones, while officials in Odesa reported damage and injuries from UAV attacks.
The Kremlin confirmed its delegation arrived early Tuesday for the closed-door meetings.
The United States is also engaging with Iran in Geneva. President Trump warned Tehran of potential consequences if it fails to strike a deal, as negotiators prepare for discussions mediated by Oman. These talks aim to avert U.S. military action, with Tehran expressing cautious optimism regarding Washington’s “more realistic” position on its nuclear program.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily against Iran, provoked first by a deadly crackdown on protesters last month and then more recently by its nuclear programme, telling reporters:
I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal.
A previous diplomatic attempt collapsed in June 2025 during the 12-day conflict. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart in Geneva on Monday to discuss sanctions relief. While Washington has previously pushed for broader topics like ballistic missiles, Tehran insists the discussions remain limited to nuclear issues.
