Andrij Melnyk, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, says it is unlikely that Russia will accept a peace settlement in the foreseeable future, even amid the Ukraine talks in Geneva. “I am personally very skeptical” he told the Funke media group’s newspapers, noting that he sees no genuine willingness from the Kremlin to negotiate a sustainable agreement. He warned that talks without a cease‑fire could drag on indefinitely while the “daily horror against Ukraine continues”.
Melnyk, who had been Ukraine’s ambassador in Germany at the start of the full Russian invasion four years ago, added that the ongoing discussions – which will run for two days in Geneva on Wednesday under U.S. mediation – might keep Russia engaged in a geopolitical game and prevent it from provoking the United States. He acknowledged minor gains such as prisoner exchanges, which bring some hope to families, but said a political breakthrough that would produce a lasting, acceptable outcome is still not in sight.
The Geneva talks follow earlier sessions in Abu Dhabi that produced no tangible results, and disputes remain – for example, over possible territorial concessions by Ukraine.
