Geneva, Switzerland – Ukrainian and United States delegations commenced a fresh round of bilateral talks in Geneva on Thursday, shifting their primary focus toward economic reconstruction and investment frameworks as part of broader efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.
Ukraine’s chief negotiator, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, confirmed on social media that the meeting had begun with US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Ukrainian delegation also includes lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia, Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev, and Deputy Economy Minister Daryna Marchak. Umerov wrote on X, “Together with the Government’s economic team, we will thoroughly work through the prosperity package: mechanisms for economic support and recovery of Ukraine, instruments for attracting investment, and frameworks for long-term cooperation.”
These discussions are timely as Kyiv aims to attract approximately $800 billion in public and private funds over the next decade to rebuild the country, which has suffered widespread destruction from Russian aerial strikes and frontline combat. A World Bank assessment released this week estimated Ukraine’s reconstruction needs at $588 billion, based on data compiled through December 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated he had spoken with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday to coordinate ahead of Thursday’s meeting. Zelensky shared on X, “We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders’ level. President Trump supports this sequence of steps.” The Ukrainian leader had previously indicated that territorial issues remain a major challenge, expressing doubt that clear progress on borders would emerge from the February 26 talks. “I am not sure that tomorrow we will have a clear result regarding land or territory, for example, because these issues, I will repeat again and again, in my opinion should be raised to the level of leaders,” Zelensky said during a press briefing earlier this week.
Umerov noted that in addition to economic discussions, the delegation would address preparations for the next round of trilateral negotiations involving Russia, which are expected in early March. He emphasized, “An important issue is the humanitarian track and the issue of possible exchanges. We expect concrete results regarding the return of our citizens.”
These talks follow three rounds of US-mediated negotiations this year, including meetings in Abu Dhabi during January and February, and a trilateral round in Geneva on February 17-18 that yielded no breakthrough on key sticking points, particularly territorial control. Ukrainian and Russian positions remain far apart, with Moscow demanding Kyiv cede territory in the eastern Donetsk region and Ukraine refusing to relinquish land its forces have defended.
Thursday’s discussions coincide with continued Russian aerial attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Zelensky reported that Russia launched 420 drones and 39 missiles in overnight strikes, injuring dozens and causing damage across eight regions. Separately in Geneva on Thursday, Witkoff and Kushner were also scheduled to hold a third round of indirect talks over Iran’s nuclear program with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, mediated by Oman.
