Zelensky Pushes for Putin Meeting at Geneva Talks

Ukrainian leader seeks breakthrough on territorial issues through direct dialogue with Russian president.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed his delegation to raise the possibility of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the ongoing talks in Geneva, according to a report by Axios. Zelensky reportedly hopes that a direct dialogue with Putin could help find a breakthrough on the territorial disputes between the two countries.

Why it matters

The Geneva talks are a critical diplomatic effort to try to resolve the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Zelensky's push for a one-on-one meeting with Putin signals his belief that personal diplomacy may be necessary to make progress on the most contentious issues, particularly Ukraine's territorial integrity.

The details

Axios journalists, citing their sources, reported that the negotiations in Geneva have been stalling, despite the parties agreeing to continue the talks on the second day. Russia is said to be making new political demands on Ukraine that are complicating the discussions.

  • The Geneva talks began on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • The negotiations are scheduled to continue on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The players

Volodymyr Zelensky

The current President of Ukraine, who has instructed his delegation to raise the possibility of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Geneva talks.

Vladimir Putin

The current President of Russia, whom Zelensky hopes to meet with directly in order to find a breakthrough on the territorial disputes between Ukraine and Russia.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Zelensky's push for a direct meeting with Putin at the Geneva talks underscores the high stakes and complexity of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. While a breakthrough would be welcome, the stalling of negotiations suggests significant obstacles remain to resolving the territorial disputes at the heart of the crisis.