With the future of an entire nation at stake, the second day of talks ending after just two hours is not a good sign.

Russia’s chief negotiator for this round of talks in Geneva — former Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky — acknowledged that the brief meeting had been “difficult but businesslike,” and that further meetings would follow. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was “too early” to assess the results of the talks. And there was no immediate comment at all from the U.S. side.

But in an online chat with journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was more forthcoming, saying that “all three sides were constructive on the military track [of the talks]. The military basically understands how to monitor a cease-fire and the end of the war, if there is political will. They have basically agreed on pretty much everything there. Monitoring will definitely involve the American side. On the political track there was dialogue — they agreed to move forward and to continue. I did not hear the same level of progress there as on the military side. But . . . my group said they cannot report everything to me over the phone.” [RFE/RL, February 18, 2026.]

Following yesterday’s six-hour session, White House envoy Steve Witkoff said in a post on X that there had been “ . . . meaningful progress. Both parties agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal.” [Id.]

In other words, it’s been two days of the same old same old.

The problem? Vladimir Putin’s continued intransigence on the two most vital issues in terms of Ukraine’s sovereignty and future security: territorial claims and security guarantees.

Putin’s strategy is simple: As long as he has the military means, he will continue to bombard the Ukrainian civilian population and infrastructure until there is nothing left: no further support from the West, no way to continue on their own, and no will to go on.

It is up to the West — Europe and the United States — to stop him. As long as we stand behind the Ukrainian people, they will continue to fight . . . not only for their own country, but because they also understand that if they fall, the rest of Europe will not be far behind. And we cannot let that happen.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
2/18/26