The Russian, Ukrainian, and American delegations are in Geneva. The InterContinental Hotel is the venue for the talks on Ukraine in Geneva.
Negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Geneva began around 2:00 PM on February 17 and were held behind closed doors, lasting more than three hours. US President Donald Trump said: “Kyiv should begin to show more accommodating behavior in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.”
National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, told the Ukrainian delegation before the meetings: “We have a framework agreed upon by the President of Ukraine and a clear mandate. Security and humanitarian issues are the order of the day. We are working constructively, focusedly, and without unnecessary expectations. Our task is to promote, to the fullest extent, solutions that can bring about sustainable peace.
Unsurprisingly, representatives from several European countries arrived in Geneva. These are the National Security Advisors of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, who are in Switzerland to monitor the third round of talks and meet with the delegations of Ukraine and the United States after the round.
Matthew Whitaker, US Ambassador to NATO: “Expect productive talks in Geneva, but it all comes down to territories.” Matthew Whitaker said that Washington is not yet certain that Russia is truly committed to ending the war. According to him, Russia is declaring its readiness for peace and is setting conditions, but the United States “will continue to verify” how realistic these statements are. Whitaker also noted that the talks in Geneva could be productive, but the main and most difficult issue is the territories.
Russian journalists were waiting for a statement from Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky in the lobby of the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva at 4:00 PM, but the talks were still ongoing. .
Meanwhile, sharp disagreements have emerged in the EU over the draft of the twentieth package of sanctions against Russia, Bloomberg reports. Greece and Malta oppose a complete ban on providing any services for the maritime transport of Russian oil; Italy and Hungary oppose sanctions against the Georgian port of Kulevi. Greece and Malta oppose similar sanctions against a port in Indonesia; Italy and Spain question the appropriateness of imposing sanctions against one of Cuba’s banks.
AFP: “Russia is intensifying its activities near Sweden, according to Swedish military intelligence.” The circumstances were not specified.
Estonian authorities are working with Ukraine to develop a mechanism for the use of frozen Russian private assets. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced this at the Munich Security Conference.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered additional protective measures for the Ukrainian energy sector following reports of possible new attacks. The commander The Air Force, the Defense Minister, and the head of Ukrenergo have received instructions on this matter.
In the two years since the Czech munitions initiative, Ukraine has received 4.4 million large-caliber shells, accounting for over 50% of the total number of shells transferred to Ukraine. Last year alone, approximately 2 million shells were transferred.
An explosion occurred in one of Odessa’s neighborhoods, resulting in a loss of electricity and water. Details are currently being finalized.
Vladimir Putin removed Sergei Ivanov from the Russian Security Council by decree and appointed Sergei Sobyanin to the board of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation by decree. Presidential Advisor and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has given unfavorable forecasts for the Russian merchant fleet. In his opinion, Western attacks on Russian ships and cargo in the world’s oceans will increase. “According to available information, such actions “They will intensify; attacks on our ships and cargo will become more frequent,” Patrushev said in an interview with AiF. The State Duma passed a law requiring operators to cut off communications at the request of the FSB.
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on February 17. Massive Ukrainian airstrikes on the coast of Krasnodar Krai and Sevastopol. From 8:00 PM to midnight, 76 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were destroyed. Falling debris at the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai injured two people and damaged private homes. Air defenses were active in the Rostov region. Media reported a series of explosions over Izhevsk. Local residents also reported explosions in Kazan and Nizhnekamsk. Five drones were shot down near Melitopol, Zaporizhia region. During the morning of February 17, the threat of a drone attack in Sochi was again reported.
According to Ukrainian estimates, Russian forces have launched at least 100 drones and missiles from strategic aircraft. Attacks have been reported in the city of Stryi, Lviv region, and in the regions of Kropyvnytskyi, Poltava, and Vinnytsia. Online photos show a fire in the Dnipropetrovsk region. In the Odessa region, an attack hit a power substation. Russian FPV drones attacked Kramatorsk, targeting transport vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Toward Sumy, the Northern Group of Forces announced the liberation of Pokrovka, in the Krasnopilskyi district. Ukrainian forces are counterattacking. Further fighting is expected in this section of the front in the wooded areas towards Krasnopillya.
In the Belgorod region, authorities are focusing their efforts on eliminating the consequences of the attacks on energy facilities in the region.
In the direction of Kharkiv, the Northern Group of Forces is engaged in heavy fighting near Vovchansk, with Ukrainian forces occasionally attempting to attack.
In Kupyansk, Ukrainian forces are focusing on attacks on Russian positions. Fighting is ongoing. On the access routes to Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, the intensity of hostilities has decreased and the fighting is more positional.
In the direction of Slovyansk, fighting is ongoing for Nykyforivka. Ukrainian forces are making no attempt to hold their positions in the village.
On the Kostyantynivka front, Russian forces are attacking the outskirts of the city from the south and east, near Stepanivka, Berestok, and Illinivka.
Ukrainian forces are counterattacking the Russian Eastern Group of Forces near Zaliznychne
and Staroukrainka, using armored vehicles. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian advances to retake Brats’ke and Hai have been repelled. Russian forces, in the social sphere, report being able to advance through counterattacks in the direction of Tsvitkove-Staroukrainka.
On the Zaporizhia front, Ukrainian forces are counterattacking. Mahdalynivka is in the gray zone, no longer under Russian control; Ukrainian armored vehicles have been reported toward Stepnohirsk. and Prymorske. Fighting continues along the aforementioned lines. Some Ukrainian armored vehicles were destroyed during the approach, but Ukrainian forces managed to land and disperse their troops. Ukrainian attacks have so far been dispersed.
Along the Russian-controlled banks of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, Ukrainian forces have continued to target civilians. More than 40 settlements are under shelling and tactical drone strikes. Two people have been killed and at least one injured. Extensive material damage has been reported to businesses.
Graziella Giangiulio
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