MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Talks in Geneva between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine have moved beyond technical security issues to include more sensitive political matters; despite ongoing negotiations, hostilities between Moscow and Kiev have escalated; and the second round of US-Iran negotiations yielded agreed principles for drafting a potential nuclear deal, even as both sides step up military activity in the Persian Gulf. These stories topped Wednesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
The first day of negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine on resolving the conflict has concluded in Geneva. A contingent of European diplomats also arrived in the Swiss city, including representatives of London, Paris, Berlin, and Rome, who sought to engage in the process through behind-the-scenes discussions in the corridors. Their objectives have yet to be clarified. This comes amid indications that, on the eve of the meeting, no inclination toward a settlement was observed on Kiev’s part, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia.
Moreover, the closed-door discussions unfolded against the backdrop of divisions within the Ukrainian delegation, whose members reportedly argued over the benefits of reaching a swift agreement under US auspices. Experts noted that the nature of the meetings following the talks in Abu Dhabi has changed significantly, with the scope of issues under discussion widening; among them, they suggest, are likely political demands from Russia, including matters related to the status of the Russian language and the canonical Orthodox Church.
