Zelensky warns of new Russian attacks ahead of peace talks in Geneva

(Patria) - President Volodymyr Zelensky stated yesterday that Ukrainian intelligence indicates new Russian attacks on energy targets are imminent and that such attacks hinder the achievement of an agreement to end the nearly four-year war, Reuters reported last night.

"Intelligence reports show that Russia is preparing further massive attacks on energy infrastructure, so it is necessary to ensure that all air defense systems are properly configured," Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

Ukrainian, Russian, and American delegations are gathering in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday for the third round of US-mediated talks, which for the first time focused on the thorniest issue of the war – the fate of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia.

Zelensky said that Russian attacks are "constantly evolving" and resort to a combination of weapons, including drones and missiles, which requires "special defense and support from our partners".

"Russia cannot resist the temptation of the last days of winter cold and wants to strike Ukrainians painfully," he said.

"Partners must understand this. First and foremost, this concerns the United States."

The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said on Telegram that his team is already in Geneva and looks forward to "constructive work and substantive meetings on security and humanitarian issues".

Moscow wants Ukraine to cede the entire Donbas region. The Kremlin confirmed that Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin, will lead the Russian delegation.

"This time, the idea is to discuss a wider range of issues, including, in fact, the main ones. The main issues concern both territories and everything else related to the demands we have put forward," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Two earlier rounds of talks in the United Arab Emirates, supported by the United States, led to prisoner exchanges but no progress towards a solution.