Zelenskyy and Trump discussed peace efforts with expectations of advancing to leaders-level talks
US and Ukrainian officials meeting in Geneva to discuss post-war recovery, trilateral talks, and prisoner swaps
Ukraine and Russia remain deadlocked on territory and security guarantees
World Bank estimates rebuilding Ukraine's economy will cost $588 billion
Both sides indicate the conflict will continue as neither has achieved their goals
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed peace negotiations with Russia during a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday night, February 24, 2026, as both leaders aim to advance diplomatic efforts to end the four-year war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. The half-hour call, joined by US envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, preceded a meeting between Ukrainian and US officials scheduled for Thursday in Geneva, where they will discuss a post-war recovery plan, preparations for upcoming trilateral talks with Moscow in early March, and a potential prisoner swap. Zelenskyy expressed optimism that the diplomatic process would soon progress to a leaders-level meeting, which he described as 'the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war.' The Ukrainian president has consistently called for direct negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to tackle outstanding issues. Meanwhile, Russia's economic affairs envoy Kirill Dmitriev will separately meet with US negotiators in Geneva on economic issues, as part of a renewed peace push spearheaded by Trump that has yet to produce a breakthrough to end the conflict. The diplomatic flurry comes as Ukraine and Russia remain fundamentally divided on core issues, particularly regarding territory and security guarantees. Moscow wants Kyiv to cede control of the Donbas region, which it mostly occupies, while Ukraine has rejected that demand and insists on security guarantees from allies to deter future Russian aggression. According to the World Bank, rebuilding Ukraine's economy will cost an estimated $588 billion. On the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy delivered a message of resolve, stating that Moscow has failed to break Ukrainians' spirit or win the war, while the Kremlin acknowledged it has not fully achieved its war goals and would continue fighting until it does.
🏷️ Themes
Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Economic Recovery
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners: prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc. Sometimes, dead bodies are involved in an exchange.
Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War with Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas, ...
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surrender, in which an army agrees to give up arms; or a cease...
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...
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News | Russia-Ukraine war Zelenskyy speaks with Trump about peace efforts, eyes leaders-level talks Conversation precedes meeting between US and Ukrainian envoys in Geneva on Thursday. Listen to this article | 4 mins Published On 25 Feb 2026 25 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media Share Save Add Al Jazeera on Google Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with United States President Donald Trump about ongoing peace negotiations with Russia, which he expects to soon progress into a leaders-level meeting. Zelenskyy said the phone conversation, joined by US envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, took place Wednesday night before US and Ukrainian officials meet in Geneva for more discussions. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Ukraine alleges Russia enlists more than 1,700 Africans to fight list 2 of 4 Russia ‘has not won’ as Ukraine war enters fifth year, Zelenskyy says list 3 of 4 Three myths about the Russia economic war list 4 of 4 Fatigue and tension in Russia four years after Ukraine invasion end of list The call lasted half an hour, according to Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn. Trump and Zelenskyy covered issues on the agenda for the meeting, as well as preparations for the next round of trilateral discussions that will include Russian officials, expected in early March. “We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders’ level,” said Zelenskyy, adding that would be “the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war”. The Ukrainian president previously called for a direct meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin , to tackle outstanding issues in negotiations. Prisoner swap on the table Thursday’s meeting in Geneva brings together Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, and Kushner and Witkoff, said Kyiv. It will address details of a possible post-war recovery plan for Ukraine, preparations for the upcoming trilateral meeting with Mo...
