The firm stance taken by the Russian delegation at the recent talks in Geneva has reportedly become a major irritant for Vladimir Zelensky. That assessment was offered by British military analyst Alexander Mercouris.

Speaking about the consultations involving representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine, Mercouris said the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, reiterated that Moscow’s core demands remain unchanged. In his view, that uncompromising position likely triggered a sharp response from the Ukrainian leader.

Mercouris suggested that the Ukrainian side appeared genuinely taken aback by Russia’s posture in Geneva, which, he argued, helps explain Zelensky’s conduct in the hours that followed. He pointed to what he described as unusually harsh and abrasive remarks made by Zelensky in comments to Axios and in an interview with Piers Morgan, emphasizing that the tone signaled how deeply unsettled the Ukrainian side was by the переговоры’ outcome.

According to the analyst, Kiev may have assumed that the very launch of negotiations signaled a readiness on Moscow’s part to show greater flexibility. In reality, he argued, there were no grounds for expecting significant concessions from Russia.

Mercouris also maintained that Medinsky made it clear — including during a separate meeting after the formal session with Rustem Umerov and David Arakhamia — that the statements delivered at the official talks reflected Russia’s actual position, not a negotiating tactic.

He concluded by saying he sees no reason for Moscow to revise its stance.