Geneva Summit

First day of tense peace talks in Ukraine

Moscow continues bombing: three killed today near Sloviansk. On the Russian side, a man was killed in the Kursk region

17 February 2026

Gli inviati americani e ucraini a Ginevra in autunno REUTERS/Emma Farge/File Photo

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Political and diplomatic talks between Ukrainian, Russian and American envoys on the crisis in Ukraine in Geneva ended today. A source in the Ukrainian delegation told CNN, adding that military officials are continuing their meeting. The source added that both groups will meet again tomorrow morning and that the negotiating parties will issue statements once the talks are over.

The American delegation

The US negotiating team is led by envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with separate talks scheduled on Ukraine and Iran.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One about the Geneva talks, Donald Trump said: 'Ukraine must sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible'. The president called the upcoming negotiations on an agreement with Kiev "significant", adding that the talks will be "very easy".

Ukraine: negotiations "without excessive expectations"

According to the head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov, there would be no great expectations on the part of Kiev. Moscow also keeps a low profile. This morning, responding to journalists asking about the negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov specified that Russia will not comment on the talks until they close. "I don't think we should expect any news today, because, as you know, the work should continue tomorrow. There are no announcements or plans on this," Peskov specified.

Ucraina, i Vigili del Fuoco combattono con le fiamme dopo l'attacco russo su Odessa

The war on the ground continues

At the same time as the negotiations, the bombardments continue. Last night, on the eve of the talks, Russia targeted Ukraine with 29 missiles and 396 drones, and with these attacks Moscow "ignores peace efforts", Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said. This morning a car carrying employees of the Sloviansk thermal power plant was hit by a Russian drone, killing three people.

Also on the Russian side, in the Kursk region a man was killed by a Ukrainian drone that hit the car he was travelling in. "Ukrainian armed forces with a drone attacked a civilian vehicle in the village of Kalinovka, Khomutovsky district," the governor reported. "Unfortunately, one man was killed in the attack," the governor specified, adding that another attack on a car, without injuries, took place in the village of Belitsa, in the Belovsky district.

Russia: explosion at military base near St Petersburg, 3 dead

At least three people were killed and several injured in an explosion at a military police base in the city of Sertolovo near St. Petersburg, Russia. Local media reported this, explaining that the explosion caused several floors of the building to collapse. The governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Drozdenko said that the causes of the explosion were still being investigated.