A conversation took place between former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky just a day before scheduled negotiations between Ukraine and U.S. envoys, as well as tri-party talks with Russia planned for early March. Although the White House official declined to provide further details regarding the phone call, Zelensky disclosed via social media that both Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were also part of the discussion, indicating active engagement from the Trump side in ongoing negotiations.

Zelensky noted that the teams have been working intensively on the negotiations, expressing gratitude towards the involvement and efforts aimed at ending the conflict. The dialogue was reportedly 30 minutes long, as mentioned by Dmytro Lytvyn, an advisor to the Ukrainian president. This suggests heightened diplomatic activity and collaboration between the United States and Ukraine to address pressing issues surrounding the ongoing war, particularly as they prepare for multi-party discussions in Geneva.

Further complicating these negotiations, reports indicated that a Kremlin envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, is scheduled to attend the Geneva talks as well. This opens a critical pathway for dialogue that may include direct communication with Russian representatives, which underlines the intricate balance of diplomacy that both Ukraine and the U.S. must navigate amidst the ongoing tensions with Russia. The participation of both Ukrainian and U.S. representatives in the talks may signal a united front, which could influence future negotiations significantly as the situation evolves.