Ending the first working day of the trilateral talks in Geneva (Switzerland), Mr. Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy of the US President, broke the silence with a noteworthy status on social network X.
Mr. Witkoff affirmed that the coordinating role of the US has been effective and the parties have achieved "meaningful progress". This statement is seen as a surprising turning point, because before that, both observers and the Ukrainian delegation were quite pessimistic about the possibility of finding common ground.
Both sides have agreed to update the situation to their highest leaders and are committed to continuing to work towards an agreement," Mr. Witkoff emphasized. This detail shows that at least a direct and effective communication channel has been re-established, avoiding the scenario of negotiations breaking down from the first day.
However, behind the diplomatic optimism of the US side is a harsh reality inside the closed meeting room. A senior source from the Russian delegation revealed to TASS news agency that the discussion on February 17 turned into a "brain battle" lasting up to 6 consecutive hours.
This source described the atmosphere inside as "very tense", implying that the parties had argued fiercely about core terms - possibly related to territorial issues or security regulations. The fact that the meeting lasted longer than initially expected is also proof that neither side is willing to make easy concessions.
The difference in describing the outcome of the meeting between the US and Russia shows the US tactic: They want to create a positive psychological momentum to push the parties to a final agreement.
This round of negotiations has the participation of a Russian delegation led by Mr. Vladimir Medinsky, close aide to President Putin. The presence of this senior figure shows that Moscow really values the new proposals from the Geneva negotiating table.
Currently, the whole world is focusing its eyes on Geneva to wait for the next working day on February 19, to see if the "development" that Mr. Witkoff mentioned can be transformed into a real ceasefire.
