(VOVWORLD) -Russia and Ukraine will hold a new round of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb.17 and 18, according to statements from both sides on Friday, adding this will be the next attempt in the US-mediated negotiations aimed at ending the four-year-long conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the upcoming round of talks will continue under a trilateral mechanism involving Russia, the US, and Ukraine. An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that the Kyiv delegation is preparing for negotiations next week. Peskov said the Russian delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Medinsky was Russian chief negotiator in Turkey when the Russia-Ukraine conflict first broke out. His selection to lead the upcoming round of talks marks a shift by the Kremlin from the two recent rounds in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) which were led by high-ranking military officials.
Just ten days remain until the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the most costly conflict in Europe since World War II. US President Donald Trump is pushing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, but the two previous rounds of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi have yet to produce any significant breakthroughs.
Observers believe the Geneva talks will be a crucial test for Washington's next mediation efforts, but the prospect of reaching an agreement remains uncertain as Russia and Ukraine are unlikely to narrow their differences at this time.