Source: Reuters citing three sources familiar with the matter
Details: According to the agency's sources, meetings have taken place over the past few months, including last week.
Reuters' sources described these negotiations as an additional channel with some contacts occurring during the transition period following President Donald Trump's victory in the elections on November 5, 2024.
The agency reports that although the participants in these negotiations possess diplomatic and security experience, they are not government officials, and it was not immediately clear whether they were sent by their governments.
Sources declined to name the negotiators but noted that at least a small number of Trump's advisors are aware of these meetings.
"Many other details remain unclear, including the agenda of the meetings, when they began, and whether Ukrainians were present. However, these meetings shed light on the behind-the-scenes efforts of the U.S. and Russia to find ways to end the war in Ukraine, despite the near-total freeze of official contacts during the presidency of Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden," writes Reuters.
One of the agency's sources described the negotiations in Switzerland as "track two" discussions, meaning they are an unofficial dialogue aimed at improving communication and exchanging ideas rather than developing specific proposals.
Two sources reported that at least one meeting took place in Geneva last week—at the same time the Munich Security Conference was happening in Germany.
Reuters notes that it reached out for comments to the White House National Security Council, the Ukrainian government, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but they did not respond to requests.
Background:
- On February 9, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had spoken on the phone with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to try to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
- On February 18, negotiations between U.S. and Russian delegations began in Saudi Arabia. They lasted for 4.5 hours. According to Russian state media, during these talks, the parties discussed economic cooperation and "issues of Ukrainian settlement."
- The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov.
- President Vladimir Zelensky emphasized before this meeting that Ukraine would not participate in the negotiations in Saudi Arabia and would not recognize any agreements regarding Ukraine without the involvement of official Kyiv.