The US and Russia held secret talks in Switzerland to discuss the war in Ukraine, according to Reuters.

Representatives from Russia and the United States have been meeting secretly in Switzerland for unofficial discussions about the war in Ukraine over the past few months, including last week.

According to Reuters, this information comes from three sources.

The sources characterized the talks as an additional communication channel functioning during the transitional period following President Donald Trump's victory in the election on November 5, 2024.

While participants in these discussions possess diplomatic and security experience, they are not government officials, making it initially unclear whether they were acting on behalf of their governments.

Sources declined to name the participants in the talks, but at least some of Trump's advisors are aware of these meetings.

“Many other details remain unclear, including the agenda of the meetings, when they began, and whether Ukrainians were present. However, these meetings highlight the behind-the-scenes efforts of the U.S. and Russia to find ways to end the war in Ukraine, despite the near-total freeze of official contacts during the tenure of Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden,” the report states.

One source described the discussions in Switzerland as "track two" talks, meaning an unofficial dialogue aimed at improving communication and exchanging ideas without developing specific proposals.

At least one meeting took place last week in Geneva, coinciding with the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Reuters reached out for comments from the White House National Security Council, the Ukrainian government, and the Russian Foreign Ministry but did not receive any responses.

Background. Previously, Mind reported that during the first round of negotiations with the U.S. on ending the war in Ukraine, Russia called for a division of spheres of influence and the withdrawal of troops from NATO's eastern flank, according to Cristian Diaconescu, chief of staff to the President of Romania and advisor on defense and national security.