Ukrainian officials meet U.S. envoys in Geneva on reconstruction as Volodymyr Zelenskiy seeks $800B to rebuild war-torn economy
GENEVA: Ukrainian negotiators were due to meet U.S. officials on Thursday in Geneva for talks on post-war reconstruction, including a “prosperity package” of funding to rebuild Ukraine’s economy, despite a deadlock in peace negotiations with Russia.
The conversations with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to begin around lunchtime, a Ukrainian official said.
The Ukrainian delegation was not expected to speak to the media afterwards. Also on Thursday in Geneva, Witkoff and Kushner are due to hold a third round of indirect talks over Iran’s nuclear program with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, mediated by Oman.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke on Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed that the next session of trilateral talks with Russia in March should lead to a meeting of the countries’ leaders to tackle the most sensitive outstanding issues.
“This is the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war,” Zelenskiy said after the call, which Witkoff and Kushner also participated in.
Proceeding with the reconstruction of Ukraine after the destruction wrought by Russian aerial strikes and frontline combat has become a major element in broader talks on how to end the war, which entered its fifth year this week.
Kyiv hopes to attract about $800 billion of public and private funds over the next 10 years to rebuild the country.
The latest assessment from the World Bank released on Monday showed that rebuilding Ukraine’s economy will cost an estimated $588 billion. The assessment is based on data from February 24, 2022, through December 31, 2025.
The U.S. has been pressing Ukraine to find a way to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War Two. But Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart in their positions.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met last week in Geneva for their third U.S.-mediated meeting so far this year but failed to reach any breakthrough on key sticking points, including territory.
Russia says Ukraine must cede the final 20% of the industrialised and heavily fortified eastern region of Donetsk that it still controls. Ukraine says it will not relinquish territory that thousands have died to defend.
