Russia said it shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight as senior officials from both sides gathered in Switzerland for a new round of US-brokered talks
Russian air defence systems shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight, the defence ministry said on Tuesday, according to state news agency TASS.
This comes as senior Ukrainian and Russian officials prepared to
meet in Switzerland for a second round of negotiations brokered by the Donald Trump administration, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Talks resume in Switzerland
The two-day meeting, beginning on Tuesday, is expected to follow the format of earlier discussions held in Abu Dhabi, with delegations from Washington, Kyiv and Moscow participating.
Despite renewed diplomatic engagement, expectations for a major breakthrough remain limited, with Russia continuing to press wide-ranging demands.
The previous round in Abu Dhabi focused largely on proposals for a military ceasefire. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Geneva talks would address a “broader range of issues”, including territorial questions and other demands advanced by Moscow.
The Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, an adviser to President Vladimir Putin who has previously questioned Ukrainian sovereignty. He will be joined by Igor Kostyukov, head of Russian military intelligence, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, among nearly two dozen officials.
Ukraine is expected to send the same delegation as in earlier rounds, led by Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council.
The meeting in Geneva marks the first time the negotiations will be held in Europe, following earlier rounds in Abu Dhabi and Istanbul. The selection of Switzerland is reported to have been encouraged by Washington.
Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are expected to oversee US engagement and are also scheduled to hold separate discussions with Iranian officials in Geneva later this week.
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