Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States began on Tuesday afternoon, according to Ukraine's chief negotiator Rustem Umyrov.
“We have a framework approved by the President of Ukraine and a clear mandate,” Umyrov wrote on X.
The Russian delegation arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday morning. State-controlled Russian TASS reports that the hotly contested territorial issues are on the agenda, among other things.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said little news was expected during the first day of negotiations. Talks will continue on Wednesday.
An Italian government source said that government-level representatives from Italy, Germany, France and Britain are present.
Talks are planned for the day between national security advisers (from the countries) and delegations from the United States and Ukraine, the source told AFP. The meetings will take place outside the more formalized negotiations, according to the source.
Since the last round of talks in Abu Dhabi - which, apart from a prisoner exchange, were fruitless - Russia has changed its negotiator. Intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov has been replaced by President Vladimir Putin's advisor Vladimir Medinsky, an ultra-conservative historian and former culture minister.
Kostyukov is also present in Geneva, but analysts say the change in leadership signals tougher demands from Moscow. According to Yle, Medinsky, who has been involved in several previous rounds of talks, always puts forward maximalist demands on Kyiv.
Ukrainian side unchanged
Ukraine reportedly views the change negatively; analysts say it took place after the shooting of Russian military leader Vladimir Alekseyev in Moscow earlier in February. The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of the attack.
The Ukrainian delegation, as before, consists of Chief Negotiator Umyrov, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov, MP Davyd Arachamia and Andriy Hnatov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The United States is represented by President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
No decisive compromises appear to be in sight as Russia, Ukraine and the US begin talks in Geneva. Here are the key issues.
Donbas
Russia claims all of Donbas in the east, where Ukraine still defends just over a tenth of the area. Ukraine refuses to recognize occupied land as Russian, but has opened up for discussion about a frozen front line.
Guarantees
Ukraine's European allies promise security guarantees and troop deployments, but American guarantees are seen as crucial to deterring Russia in the long term. The United States has offered guarantees that will last for 15 years, but Ukraine wants them to last at least 20.
Nuclear power plant
Russia occupies Europe's largest nuclear power plant near the front in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. The parties accuse each other of shelling that could cause a meltdown. The US has proposed entering into a shared trusteeship, but to no avail.
