US and Russia conduct secret talks on war in Ukraine via Swiss backchannel – Reuters

The British news agency Reuters writes that for several months, representatives of the United States and Russia have been secretly holding meetings to discuss the war in Ukraine. The parties used a channel in Switzerland for this.

Reuters reports this, mentioning three sources that are familiar with the matter.

Sources revealed that these negotiations have occurred over the past three months, with the most recent discussions just last week.

According to Reuters, a side channel with some contacts was used for the negotiations, and they continued during the transition period after Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election on November 5.

It is also noted that the negotiation participants have diplomatic and security experience but are not government officials. In addition, it was not clear whether their governments sent them, two sources told Reuters. The media outlets declined to name the participants.

One source said that at least a small number of Trump's advisers were aware of the meetings.

"Many other details remain unclear, including the meetings' agendas, whether Ukrainians were present, and when the encounters began.

But the previously undisclosed meetings highlight behind-the-scenes US and Russian efforts to explore ways of ending the Ukraine war despite a near-freeze on official contact under Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden," Reuters reported.

One of the sources described the talks in Switzerland as "second-tier discussions," meaning informal dialogue aimed at improving communication and advancing ideas rather than developing concrete proposals.

Two sources told Reuters that at least one meeting occurred in Geneva during last week's Munich Security Conference, a gathering of international political leaders and security chiefs in the German city.

A Western media source suggested that the back-channel talks have lost their relevance, as in recent weeks, representatives of the United States and Russia have established official channels of dialogue.

Recently, Trump dramatically changed the US approach to the Russian-Ukrainian war, communicating directly with the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, and insisting on a quick agreement to end the war.

This happened after senior US officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

For reference:

On February 18, the American and Russian delegations met in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg reported that the Saudi prince had suggested inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the talks, but US and Russian officials insisted on a bilateral meeting.

After the talks, Russian negotiators said they had gone "quite well" and that the Russian and US teams would begin contacts on Ukraine "in due course." The US and Russia agreed to restore staff at their embassies in Washington and Moscow, respectively.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the talks in Saudi Arabia, saying they had "the same spirit" as the Russian ultimatum at the start of a full-scale invasion. He also postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia until March.