Witkoff says 'meaningful progress' made as Ukraine talks enter second day

1 hour agoChris GrahamBBC NewsGetty ImagesThe talks between Russia and Ukraine in Switzerland are being mediated by Steve Witkoff.US special envoy Steve Witkoff said talks between Ukraine and Russia had "brought about meaningful progress" to end the war, as both sides prepared for a second day of negotiations in Geneva on Wednesday."President Trump's success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress, and we are proud to work under his leadership to stop the killing in this terrible conflict," Witkoff wrote on X.Hopes for a breakthrough during the talks are low, as the Kremlin has not wavered from its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory.US President Donald Trump has recently suggested it is up to Ukraine to ensure talks in Switzerland are successful, without mentioning Russia. Zelensky has repeatedly said his country is being asked to make disproportionate compromises compared to Russia.Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine, including large parts of the eastern Donbas region. The Kremlin wants Ukraine to hand over the rest of the region, which Ukraine has ruled out.Ukraine says robust security guarantees from the West - including the US - must come before any settlement with Russia can be agreed.Zelensky told the Axios website on Tuesday it was "not fair" that Trump kept calling on Ukraine to broker a deal, adding that lasting peace would not be achieved if "victory" was just handed to Russia."I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision," Zelensky said.In a statement on social media on Tuesday evening, top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the first day of talks focused on "practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions". In his video address shortly afterwards, Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to refrain from carrying out strikes, as proposed by the US to both Kyiv and Moscow."We don't need war," he said, stressing that Ukrainians were "defending our state, our independence"."We are also ready to quickly move towards a worthy agreement to end the war. The question is only for the Russians: What do they want?"The talks are the third round of trilateral negotiations. Russia's state RIA news agency quoted a source saying that Tuesday's negotiations, which lasted six hours, had been tense and took place in different bilateral and trilateral formats.The talks are being mediated by Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US president's son-in-law.On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky is the top negotiator.The negotiations are being held a week before the fourth anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The Russian Defence Ministry said 43 Ukrainian drones were shot down over several Russian regions and Crimea overnight into Wednesday. The night before, Russia carried out a large combined aerial attack on Ukraine, hitting 12 regions with 400 drones and almost 30 missiles. At least three people were killed, Ukrainian officials said.More on this story