Ahead of crucial trilateral discussions in Geneva that will involve Russian representatives, Ukrainian and U.S. officials are reportedly scheduled to convene. This news emerges shortly after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine entered its fifth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed journalists about the planned U.S.-Ukraine meeting for Thursday, as reported by The Associated Press. According to the AP, Zelenskyy indicated that the discussions would center on the potential for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and preparations for the forthcoming trilateral meeting with Russia.
The meeting is expected to include Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as cited by Zelenskyy, according to the AP. Diana Davytian, Umerov’s press secretary, also confirmed to the AP that the meeting would take place in Geneva. The report noted that the same Swiss city is slated to host U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations on the same day as the trilateral talks.
Zelenskyy stated that he had assigned Umerov the task of discussing a potential prisoner exchange, the AP reported. He also expressed Ukraine’s desire for the talks with Russia to occur next week.
The Trump administration’s efforts to broker an end to the protracted war have previously brought Russian and Ukrainian envoys together in Abu Dhabi and Geneva, though these meetings have not yet yielded a peace agreement.
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that he had met with Zelenskyy and discussed “Ukraine’s security and deepening defense and economic partnerships.”
“President Trump wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all,” Rubio wrote.
Furthermore, last week, Zelenskyy mentioned speaking with Witkoff and Kushner in anticipation of the trilateral meetings in Geneva, which he stated the Ukrainian government anticipates will be “truly productive.”
“We also discussed some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi. Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine’s position next week. I also spoke about our meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support.”
On Tuesday, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s resilience, stating that Putin had not defeated Ukraine nor broken the country’s spirit. This declaration coincided with Ukrainian forces achieving their most significant gains since 2024, according to the AP, which cited the Institute for the Study of War. The institute observed that Ukrainian forces have repelled Russia’s army at various points along the front line in the eastern regions of the country.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.