According to Axios, the Geneva negotiations have reached a deadlock due to the position taken by Medinsky. The Russian side stated that Zelensky is seeking to boost his own ratings in this way.

During the trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, held in Geneva on February 17, the parties encountered insurmountable disagreements. According to the publication Axios, citing its sources, the cause of the resulting deadlock was the position taken by the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky.