
Switzerland: Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks Begins—U.S. Optimistic
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said the Geneva talks achieved “meaningful progress” toward resolving the conflict.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said the Geneva talks achieved “meaningful progress” toward resolving the conflict.

Brussels now wants to be part of negotiations but believes there is no point “if we don’t stand up for anything.”

The United States has offered to host talks between the two sides in Florida next week.

The visit of the French adviser may lead to the first telephone contact between the two presidents in more than two and a half years.

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. convene in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, but Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid threaten to overshadow the talks.

In his New Year’s speech, the Russian president said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine.

Speaking after the European Council summit, the French leader said Europe may need to “re-engage in a full-fledged dialogue with Russia, in full transparency with Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian president told reporters European leaders may also be present at the talks to be held on Friday and Saturday.

Vladimir Putin praised the Hungarian PM’s “balanced position” as the two leaders discussed Ukraine, energy, and a possible Budapest peace summit.

Hungary’s insistence on defending its energy security and its right to pursue peace talks offers a model of what a more balanced and sovereign Europe could look like.