Ukrainian and Russian envoys hold a second day of US-brokered talks in Geneva

GENEVA (AP) — Envoys from Moscow and Kyiv met Wednesday in Geneva for a second consecutive day of U.S.-brokered talks, with officials trying to bridge political and military differences stemming from Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine almost four years ago.

“Consultations are taking place in working groups by areas within the political and military tracks,” the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, wrote in English on X. “We are working on clarifying the parameters and mechanisms of the decisions discussed yesterday.”

The negotiations in Switzerland are the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but yielded no breakthrough.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on social media that Washington’s push for peace in Ukraine over the past year has “brought about meaningful progress.” He didn’t elaborate, and the fighting has continued.

The two armies are locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) front line, while Russia bombards civilian areas of Ukraine. Overnight, Russia launched one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said.

A Russian drone strike in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and injured seven people, including two small children, according to regional military administration chief Ivan Fedorov.

Russia and Ukraine appear to still be far apart on their demands for a peace settlement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement before committing to a truce.

Putin’s key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.

Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow has occupied but doesn’t fully control.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine won't surrender land to Russia.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine