Security chief: Ukraine, US, Europe agree on coordinated strategy after talks

Ukraine, the United States and key European partners have agreed on a coordinated approach following a round of high-level talks, according to Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.

Umerov held a separate meeting with representatives from the US, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland and reported on the discussions in a post on his Telegram channel

He said: “We discussed the outcomes of today’s round of negotiations and agreed on approaches for further action. It is important to maintain a shared vision and coordination between Ukraine, the US and Europe.”

On February 17, delegations from Moscow and Kyiv met in Geneva for another round of U.S.-brokered peace talks, a week before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Expectations for breakthroughs were low, as both sides remained firm on territorial disputes and postwar security guarantees, despite the U.S. urging a settlement by June.

The Ukrainian delegation, led by Rustem Umerov, emphasised that discussions focused on security and humanitarian issues, but warned against excessive expectations. The Russian team, headed by Vladimir Medinsky, continued to insist on Ukraine ceding control of the eastern Donbas region.

U.S. representatives, including President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, attended alongside military officials from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, who discussed ceasefire monitoring and potential military coordination.

The talks took place amid ongoing hostilities. Russia launched nearly 400 drones and 29 missiles against Ukraine overnight, damaging civilian infrastructure and leaving tens of thousands without utilities.

Ukraine responded with drone strikes targeting Russian energy and chemical facilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Moscow’s attacks as undermining the peace process.

By Aghakazim Guliyev