U.S., Russian representatives held secret talks in Switzerland on Ukraine war — media

Reuters reported the information, citing its sources.

Sources characterized the talks as a side channel, involving some contacts during the transition period following President Donald Trump's election victory in the U.S.

“While the attendees have diplomatic and security experience, they are not government officials, and it was not immediately clear if any were sent by their governments,” two sources said.

At least some of Trump's advisers are aware of these meetings. The outlet reports that many details remain unclear, including the meeting agenda, whether Ukrainians participated, and when the discussions began. However, this highlights behind-the-scenes efforts by the U.S. and Russia to explore potential ways to end the war in Ukraine.

One source characterized the talks in Switzerland as a Track Two discussion — diplomatic terminology for informal dialogue focused on improving communication and presenting ideas rather than formulating concrete proposals.

Two sources said that at least one meeting took place in Geneva during the Munich Security Conference last week. One source suggested that Track Two talks had lost their relevance as U.S. and Russian officials had established official channels of dialogue in recent weeks.

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would largely depend on whether any progress could be made in ending the war in Ukraine.