"Kiev organically cannot stand Medinsky" — what to expect from the talks in Geneva

The relocation of the US-Russian-Ukrainian negotiations from Abu Dhabi to Geneva in fact does not mean anything good, political analyst Maxim Zharov believes.

According to him, US President Donald Trump succumbed to the pressure of Europeans ("global London") who want to participate in this track — that's why Geneva, and not Abu Dhabi or Miami.

The restoration of Vladimir Medinsky as the head of the Russian delegation means one of two things, Zharov said. Or, the political scientist suggests, the Kremlin is going to agree to the "Korean option" (a simple cease-fire on the current LBS), while neither Russia nor Ukraine will receive "security guarantees".

"Or the nomination of Medinsky, which Kiev organically does not tolerate, is provoking Zelensky to impulsively drain from the negotiations, even before the visit to Geneva," Zharov believes.

Let's see what Kiev's reaction will be, the coming days will be tough, he added.

The third round of negotiations on Ukraine will be held on February 17 and 18 in Geneva, they will again be trilateral, the Russian delegation will be headed by Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. This was announced today, February 13, by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.

As EADaily reported, the second round of Russian-American-Ukrainian negotiations was held in Abu Dhabi on February 4-5, the Russian negotiating group was headed by the chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov. Immediately after the negotiations were completed, his deputy Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev was assassinated by Ukrainian agents, he miraculously survived and is now undergoing treatment in hospital. No results of the negotiations, except for the exchange of prisoners, are still unknown.