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Akbar Novruz

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On the eve of critical trilateral discussions in Switzerland, Russian forces unleashed a sprawling aerial assault across Ukraine, utilizing 420 drones and 39 missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the barrage targeted essential gas infrastructure and electrical substations, leaving dozens of civilians, including children, injured while emergency teams battled blazes in residential neighborhoods, AzerNEWS reports via AFP.

Against this backdrop of escalation, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Washington remains the only power capable of brokering a definitive end to the conflict. Speaking from the sidelines, Rubio asserted that organizations like the United Nations or the European Union lack the necessary standing with Moscow to facilitate a breakthrough. He maintained that while the U.S. recognizes there is no purely military solution to the war, its active presence in the peace process is the only factor preventing a total diplomatic collapse.

In a parallel development, the two warring nations successfully completed a major exchange of fallen soldiers. Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced that the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian service members were returned to Kyiv. In exchange, the bodies of 35 Russian soldiers were handed back to Moscow. While the Ukrainian government has not yet issued a formal confirmation of these specific numbers, the exchange represents one of the few functioning humanitarian channels between the two capitals as they prepare for the Geneva talks.

The diplomatic momentum reached a peak on February 25 during a crucial phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Zelensky. The conversation, which included key American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, focused on establishing a clear sequence for peace. Zelensky later noted that the U.S. President supports a step-by-step approach aimed at elevating the current discussions to a direct leaders' summit as early as March.

As of February 26, the focus in Geneva shifts to a specialized "welfare package" designed to spark Ukraine’s economic recovery. Ukrainian National Security Secretary Rustem Umerov is scheduled to meet with Witkoff and Kushner to finalize the details of this "prosperity package," which officials hope will serve as the economic foundation for a lasting ceasefire. Zelensky remains optimistic that this bilateral preparation will finally allow sensitive territorial and security issues to be resolved at the highest level of government.