Russia Expands Delegation and Broadens Agenda Ahead of Key Geneva Settlement Talks on Ukraine
Moscow, February 16, 2026 — The Russian government confirmed significant changes in its diplomatic approach to the upcoming round of negotiations on the Ukraine conflict in Geneva, signalling both an expanded delegation and a broader agenda that now formally includes contentious territorial issues.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Monday that Russia’s delegation for the trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States will be expanded beyond its previous composition. Alongside presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky — who will again head the delegation — senior officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin and key military leadership will participate in the high-level discussions. Notably, Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, is expected to take part, reflecting the inclusion of strategic and security-oriented voices in the delegation.
Talks To Address Core Territorial and Security Issues
In a separate confirmation, Peskov outlined that unlike earlier rounds held in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24 and February 4-5 — which focused predominantly on security matters — the Geneva meetings scheduled for February 17-18 will cover a much wider set of topics. This expanded agenda is set to include all essential aspects of the Ukrainian settlement process, with territorial issues explicitly placed on the table. Peskov explained that this broader scope necessitates the presence of lead negotiators like Medinsky to ensure Russia’s principal positions are fully represented.
According to Kremlin remarks, this expanded agenda is intended to move negotiations “beyond technical security consultations” toward substantive discussions that address ground realities and political settlements — particularly those involving the status of liberated regions. The prominence given to territorial matters marks a departure from prior rounds that were seen as more narrowly focused on ceasefire parameters and external security guarantees.
Strategic Timing and Geopolitical Signal
The expanded delegation and agenda occur amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, both on the battlefield and in diplomatic theatres. Russia’s insistence on broader, more comprehensive talks appears calibrated to ensure that long-standing Russian positions — especially regarding territorial control and administrative arrangements — receive formal consideration within multinational negotiation frameworks.
Russia’s inclusion of both civil and military representatives in Geneva also underlines a strategic intent: to bind political negotiations with operational perspectives on security and defense. This integration could influence the architecture of any ceasefire mechanism and post-conflict governance arrangements that emerge from the talks.
Implications for Peace Prospects
International observers will closely watch how Moscow’s expanded team and the broadened discussion remit affect the dynamics of the talks. Bringing territorial questions into the formal agenda could complicate consensus-building, especially given Kyiv’s firm stance on sovereignty and Western partners’ insistence on adherence to internationally recognised borders.
Yet, for Russia, this development may signal a readiness to transition from strictly security-oriented dialogues to negotiations that encompass political, territorial, and administrative frameworks — a step that, while contentious, could also open pathways to more substantive settlement discussions if matched by reciprocal engagement from Kyiv and Washington.
