Additional Coverage:
Geneva Talks Offer Little Hope as Russia’s War on Ukraine Nears Fifth Year
KYIV – Hopes for an imminent breakthrough in the devastating conflict in Ukraine remain dim as negotiators from Russia and Ukraine concluded a third round of U.S.-mediated peace talks in Geneva on Tuesday. The discussions come just a week before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is set to enter its fifth year, marking the deadliest war on European soil in eight decades.
Expectations for the Geneva negotiations were notably low, primarily due to the vast chasm separating Kyiv and Moscow on two core issues. Russia continues to demand international recognition of its claim to occupied territories in eastern Ukraine, a significant portion of the nation. Furthermore, the two sides are far apart on the scope of security guarantees Kyiv’s Western partners, particularly the United States, would provide once a ceasefire is implemented.
Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. However, nearly four years of brutal warfare are estimated to have cost Russia over a million casualties in its pursuit of these territorial gains. Despite this staggering human cost, Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained unyielding in his demand for a formal handover of a large swath of eastern Ukraine as part of any peace agreement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently rejected such a concession, reiterated as recently as Monday in a social media post where he stated it would be a “big mistake to allow the aggressor to take something.” This stance has garnered support from numerous European leaders and the head of NATO. However, the Trump administration has, at times, reportedly urged Ukraine to consider territorial concessions to achieve a peace deal.
Ukraine, which first faced Russian invasion in 2014, eight years before Putin’s full-scale assault on February 24, 2022, is seeking firm commitments from its partners in Washington and Europe to prevent any future Russian aggression. This demand comes even as the current conflict shows no signs of abating, despite the diplomatic efforts underway in Geneva.
Adding to the urgency, Ukraine’s air force reported Tuesday that Russia launched 396 drones and 29 missiles overnight. While 25 of the missiles and 367 of the drones were intercepted, President Zelenskyy cited this latest attack as further evidence of Moscow’s “disregard for peace efforts.” He emphasized in a social media post that “strength of pressure on the Russian Federation – sanctions pressure and steady, rapid support for the Ukrainian army and our air defense” would be crucial to bolster diplomatic efforts.
The war, initiated by Putin nearly four years ago, has resulted in the displacement of millions of Ukrainians and the deaths of approximately 15,000 civilians, according to United Nations figures. This winter has brought particularly harsh conditions to Ukraine, with temperatures plummeting well below freezing. Russia’s strategy has included targeting Ukraine’s power grid, leaving civilians grappling with disrupted electricity and heating supplies amidst the frigid weather.