Next Russia-Ukraine talks likely Feb. 26-27 as sides near 'final decisions,' says Kyiv official

The next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks is tentatively scheduled for February 26-27, Ukrainian presidential office head Kyrylo Budanov announced Monday, as negotiations approach a critical juncture requiring fundamental choices. According to RBC-Ukraine, Budanov stated that discussions are reaching the point where parties must make final decisions to "continue this war or move toward peace."

Prisoner Exchange Prospects

Budanov also revealed that a prisoner exchange could take place this week, telling Ukrinform: "We are working on it. I hope that it will happen this week." He indicated the number of exchanged prisoners would be "significant," exceeding previous exchanges, though he declined to provide further details. The potential swap would follow recent US-mediated exchanges that have secured the return of hundreds of prisoners.

European Participation and Previous Rounds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously expressed expectation that the new round would occur before month's end, emphasizing the importance of European presence including France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland as host country. The talks would follow three rounds this year: two in Abu Dhabi (January 23-24 and February 4-5) and the most recent in Geneva on February 17-18, which produced what both sides described as progress but no breakthrough on core political issues.