The dove of peace has failed to find a landing spot in Geneva. The European Union has issued a withering assessment of the latest round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, declaring that Moscow shows "no tangible signs" of serious engagement to end the war. The talks, mediated by the US, have ended in a stalemate, with the sound of artillery in the Donbas drowning out the diplomats in Switzerland.

EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni did not mince words during the midday briefing. "We see that Russia continues its relentless attacks on Ukraine," he stated. "This reflects that Russia is not ready for peace." The disconnect between the polite fiction of the negotiation table and the brutal reality of the battlefield has never been starker. While Russian diplomats sat in air-conditioned rooms discussing ceasefires, Russian missiles were striking infrastructure in Western Ukraine.

Delay Tactics and Deadlocks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier accused the Kremlin of using the Geneva talks as a smokescreen—a "delay tactic" designed to buy time for their military to regroup and resupply. The EU's assessment validates this fear. The refusal of Russian negotiators to budge on key issues, particularly the withdrawal from occupied territories, suggests they attended the summit merely to tick a diplomatic box, not to end the bloodshed.

The deadlock leaves Europe in a precarious position. The "war fatigue" is real, but the resolve to support Ukraine remains the official policy. "As long as the bloodshed continues, we will continue to put pressure on Russia," El Anouni promised. However, the lack of progress empowers the hawks who argue that only a definitive military defeat of Russia can secure a lasting peace.

• Polish Warning: Adding to the tension, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a chilling warning to his citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing a "very, very real" prospect of conflict there, highlighting how the geopolitical instability is spreading globally.
• The Energy Front: The stalemate ensures that energy prices and supply chains in Europe will remain under stress, as the hope for a quick resolution evaporates.

A Winter of Discontent

As the delegates pack their bags in Geneva, the message to the people of Ukraine is grim: you are still on your own. The diplomatic track has derailed. The conflict, now entering its fifth year, shows no sign of abating. The EU's blunt assessment serves as a reality check for anyone hoping for a miraculous breakthrough. Peace, it seems, will not be negotiated; it will have to be won.