• Dmitry Medvedev asserts Ukraine's Zelensky won't be party to any future peace agreement with Russia
  • Comments follow resignation of Zelensky's chief of staff after corruption raid, creating political instability
  • U.S.-Ukraine peace talks continue in Geneva despite fundamental disagreements on settlement terms

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev declared Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not sign any future peace agreement with Russia, issuing harsh remarks about Ukraine's leadership while claiming the government in Kyiv is collapsing.

Medvedev's statement on X came shortly after the resignation of Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, following a corruption raid on Yermak's residence. The timing underscores the political challenges facing Ukraine as it engages in sensitive peace negotiations with the United States and European partners.

"The current Ukrainian leadership is incapable of reaching any sustainable agreement," Medvedev wrote, using derogatory language about Zelensky. His comments reflect Moscow's deepening skepticism about reaching a settlement with Ukraine's existing government.

Meanwhile, U.S. and Ukrainian representatives met in Geneva on November 23 to discuss an American peace proposal, with both sides describing the talks as "constructive and productive." According to people familiar with the negotiations, the parties drafted an updated peace framework aimed at upholding Ukraine's sovereignty while delivering a sustainable peace.

However, Medvedev's inflammatory statements reveal the fundamental gap between diplomatic efforts and Russia's actual position. Previously, Medvedev admitted that the Istanbul peace negotiations were never aimed at compromise, stating that Russia's "swift victory and the complete destruction" of the Ukrainian government remained the actual objective.

The U.S. peace plan under discussion includes several contentious elements, sources say, including a frozen line of contact in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions with some territorial returns to Ukraine, significant reduction of Ukrainian military forces, and establishment of a demilitarized zone. A clause on full amnesty was reportedly removed following the Geneva negotiations.

Ukraine's government faces mounting pressure from both external demands and internal instability. The resignation of Yermak, a key Zelensky aide, complicates Ukraine's ability to maintain a unified negotiating position during these critical discussions.

Efforts to reach representatives from both the Ukrainian and Russian delegations for comment on the current state of negotiations were unsuccessful Friday evening.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the date of the U.S.-Ukraine Geneva talks. The meeting occurred on November 23, 2025.