Geneva talks end with US, Ukraine, Russia on Feb 18 Ukrainian and US officials met Russian representatives in Geneva, led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky; talks lasted two hours and the US urged both sides to refrain from long‑range strikes [1][3][5].
Russia swaps delegation leadership, signaling possible stall The Russian team shifted from GRU Admiral Igor Kostyukov to Medinsky, a move Zelensky warned could be used to buy time for Moscow’s war effort [6][7].
Ukraine offers territorial concessions but demands reciprocal pull‑back President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is ready to discuss a Donbas troop withdrawal, hold elections and seek a ceasefire, but insists Russia must pull back an equivalent distance and agree to a bilateral meeting with President Putin [8][9].
Russia reiterates original war aims, demanding NATO non‑expansion The Russian embassy in Belgium said Moscow will press for a treaty that legally enshrines a NATO “non‑expansion” clause, reflecting pre‑war ultimatums that go beyond territorial issues [11][12][13][14].
Putin prepares limited rolling reserve call‑ups and tightens information control The State Duma’s first‑reading bill targets “evading duty to defend the Fatherland,” while Telegram throttling and new legal measures aim to normalize involuntary reserve mobilizations [19][20][21].
Russian battlefield casualties outpace recruitment Western officials reported Russia suffered about 9,000 more casualties than it could replace in January 2026, threatening the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its offensive tempo [31].