Ukraine and Russia return to Geneva for US-mediated peace talks amid ongoing strikes, with territorial demands and security guarantees remaining key obstacles.

GENEVA: Russian and Ukrainian delegations have arrived in Geneva for a new round of peace talks mediated by the United States.

The discussions come as Ukraine reports continued Russian military strikes, casting doubt on Moscow’s commitment to the diplomatic process.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated on social media that “even on the eve of the trilateral meetings in Geneva, the Russian army has no orders other than to continue striking Ukraine.”

He argued this reveals Russia’s disregard for diplomatic efforts.

Zelensky insisted that “only with sufficient pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine can this war realistically be brought to an end.”

The talks are being held behind closed doors with no media presence.

They follow two earlier rounds this year held in Abu Dhabi, which yielded no breakthroughs.

US President Donald Trump, seeking to position himself as a peacemaker, urged Ukraine to negotiate.

“Ukraine better come to the table, fast,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Fighting continued overnight, with Russia claiming to have repelled over 150 drones.

Ukrainian officials in Odesa reported building damage and at least two wounded from a drone attack.

A major sticking point remains Russia’s demand for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from large, strategic territories.

Kyiv has rejected this as deeply unpopular and militarily fraught.

Instead, Ukraine demands robust security guarantees from the West before agreeing to any deal with Russia.

Russia currently occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea and areas held since the 2022 invasion.

Ukraine recently made battlefield gains, recapturing 201 square kilometres last week according to an AFP analysis.

These counterattacks east of Zaporizhzhia likely leveraged Russian forces’ disrupted communications from lack of Starlink access.

Control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, remains another key negotiation issue.

For the Geneva talks, the Kremlin reinstated nationalist hawk Vladimir Medinsky as its lead negotiator.

A Kremlin spokesperson said they plan “to discuss a broader set of issues, focusing on key ones related to the territories and other demands.”

Kyiv’s team is led by former defence minister Rustem Umerov.

The White House is dispatching Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The war has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, with hundreds of thousands killed.

Millions have been forced to flee their homes, with eastern and southern Ukraine heavily scarred.

 The Sun Malaysia