Milan, 18 February (LaPresse) – ‘Yesterday's meetings were really difficult and we can say that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage.’ This is what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a social media post, commenting on the first day of talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States held in Geneva, Switzerland. ‘I thank the American side for its attention to detail and patience in conversations with the current representatives of Russia,’ Zelensky added, "I have assigned a clear task to the Ukrainian delegation: to do everything possible to ensure that the negotiations are productive and increase the chances of peaceful solutions. Among other things, today we will discuss the humanitarian issue, namely measures for the exchange of prisoners of war and the release of civilians. I am grateful to our representatives for their teamwork and for implementing the directives given to the delegation. Ukraine needs guaranteed security and reliable, lasting peace. This is precisely the goal we are working towards."