Name: Territorial questions dominate Russia-Ukraine peace talks | DW News
Uploaded: 2026-02-18T17:19:21.000Z
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Now, Ukrainian officials say Russia launched another wave of aerial attacks overnight ahead of a second day of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Geneva.

The US Mediated talks are taking place as Donald Trump pressures Kyiv to agree to a deal.

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But Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on key issues, particularly territory.

In a post on social media, US Envoy Steve Witkoff said that there was meaningful progress on the first day of talks, but

Well, for more on this, we can now speak with our correspondent Christine Moonbois.

US Envoy Steve Envoy Steve Wycoff there says that meaningful progress has been made in the talks.

So where do things stand now between Russia and Ukraine, Terry?

The significant part was that both sides then agreed that they'll continue those talks today.

We understand that those talks were very tense.

This is what came through from the Russian delegation.

And of course, on the table was the key issue of territory, the territory that the Russians currently occupy, but

also the Ukrainian territory that they are demanding.

To this we also heard President Zelensky, who had spoken and given an interview in parallel to these talks, saying that the question of territory was one that would have to be put to the Ukrainians via referendum and that he was sure that the Ukrainians wouldn't accept that.

Also on the table was Ukraine's request or demand, can we put it this way, for an energy cease fire, to have the Russians stop attacking energy grids, power grids, because that is creating seriously difficult conditions for the civilian population who are without light and heating in this very difficult winter.

So those talks going on for about six hours, very difficult, we're told, and they have resumed today.

European leaders have publicly backed Kiev's refusal to concede territory to Russia.

How significant, Christine, is Europe's role in trying to end this war?

Well, Terry, the Europeans have been sidelined from these talks.

The Americans initiated this without taking the Europeans on board.

But yesterday at those meetings and continuing today, you did have security advisers from France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom in a sort of observer position.

But they're also going to have meetings with the Americans and then the Ukrainians.

The fact that they're not at the table makes it very difficult for them to weigh in.

But they are strongly trying to fortify the Ukrainians, give the Ukrainians a strong position.

They're doing this militarily by trying to give Ukraine an upper hand on the battlefield, but

also trying to force Washington not to exert so much pressure on the Ukrainians.

They believe that at some point that is potentially going to be a decisive factor if those sanctions fight hard enough.

In Moscow, they're readying their 20th package for next week.

That was our correspondent Christine Munois in Geneva.

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Territorial questions dominate Russia-Ukraine peace talks | DW News

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