MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. The territorial issue remains unresolved following the latest round of the Geneva talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine; the first meeting of the Board of Peace, chaired by US President Donald Trump, will approve the allocation of five billion dollars for Gaza’s reconstruction; and Israel is accused of seeking to annex the West Bank. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.

 

Media: What are prospects for ending conflict in Ukraine after Geneva talks?

The latest round of talks on the Ukrainian settlement has concluded in Geneva. Although representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the US did not elaborate on the results of the two-day negotiations, it is clear that progress has been achieved. A new round of talks lies ahead. Unlike the discussions in Abu Dhabi, which covered only military and technical issues, this time the talks also addressed political ones. However, the most sensitive issues, such as territorial concessions, remain unresolved.

"The talks were held behind closed doors and were difficult, as the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said, but they were effective. The next round should take place ‘soon’, which means that work is ongoing and, undoubtedly, progress is being made. It is not an easy process. The fact that it is continuing indicates steady progress toward peace," Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, told Izvestia.

Of course, the key issue remains the territories. Kiev still refuses to withdraw from the remaining part of Donbass. This is a cornerstone issue, and such political aspects are unlikely to be quickly agreed upon under the current circumstances, political scientist Denis Denisov pointed out.

The main outcome of the current negotiations is the fact that they are continuing, Pavel Koshkin, a senior researcher at the US and Canadian Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti. According to the expert, Trump's interest in a diplomatic settlement is a clear advantage for both sides. "He wants to be seen as a peacemaker, so he will continue to promote dialogue for now," the expert noted. At the same time, Koshkin believes that Washington does not have a clear plan for where this dialogue should go next. According to him, a gradual realization by the US' European allies that they cannot inflict a strategic defeat on Russia could bring the negotiations to a new level.

All parties are interested in continuing the talks, American studies political scientist Malek Dudakov emphasized. At the same time, the expert explained the lack of tangible progress by Kiev's repeated attempts to bargain for more favorable terms from the US. As for Trump, he is currently primarily dissatisfied with Ukraine. According to Dudakov, Trump may put pressure on Vladimir Zelensky by using corruption scandals. However, the expert does not rule out Washington trying to alternate its pressure policy again, first applying it to Kiev and then to Moscow.

 

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Board of Peace to allocate five billion dollars for Gaza

The first meeting of the Board of Peace, chaired by US President Donald Trump, will take place on February 19 in the US capital. According to media reports, the meeting will address issues related to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. While leaders from Argentina, Hungary, and several post-Soviet countries have accepted the White House's invitation, most Western leaders have either ignored it or will send observers to Washington.

Established almost a month ago on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Board of Peace will meet at the US Institute of Peace in Washington DC. The White House intends to use this meeting to promote the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. It provides for the creation of a transitional technocratic administration, the launch of full demilitarization, and the restoration of the region, for which substantial funds must be raised.

According to international political scientist Andrey Kortunov, it is too early to make any predictions about the possible effectiveness of the Board of Peace. The expert believes that the organization’s work will begin with the formation of international stabilization forces, as provided for in UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which was adopted in November. "Trump has repeatedly emphasized that it is impossible to attract investors without security. Nevertheless, the professional experience and personal preferences of the US president dictate priorities for economic development rather than military security. Apparently, Trump assumes that future prosperity in Gaza will somehow create reliable guarantees for long-term social and political stability and, ultimately, for sustainable military security," he told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

At the same time, there remains much uncertainty about how the organization will operate: whether decisions will be made by consensus, whether there will be votes on individual components of the plan to rebuild Gaza's economy and social infrastructure, or whether it will be advisory in nature, offering guidance to Trump, who will make the final decision. "Trump's initiative assumes that peace, or at least a ceasefire, between Israel and Palestinian groups will be maintained. Accordingly, both sides will implement all agreements relating to the first phase of Trump's plan. But how confident can we be about a lasting ceasefire? In general, there are many well-founded doubts about the Board of Peace's ability to become a universal instrument for resolving regional and global conflicts," Kortunov concluded.

 

Izvestia: India still weighs heavily on Russian oil exports

Indian companies have not decided to stop purchasing Russian oil, despite statements by officials in US President Donald Trump's administration. On February 7, the US leader lifted 25% tariffs on imports of Indian goods. At the same time, industry experts believe that oil exports could fall to one million barrels per day.

Currently, total Russian oil exports by sea amount to about three million barrels per day, Yekaterina Kosareva, managing partner of VMT Consult, told Izvestia. "Speculation about India's refusal to buy Russian oil has been going on for several months. We heard such statements from the US and Western media in the summer and fall of 2025, but supplies continue nonetheless. Yes, they have decreased, partly due to American policy and economic reasons. The cost of tanker freight is rising due to the introduction of new Western sanctions," she pointed out.

According to Valery Andrianov, associate professor at the Russian Financial University, a gradual reduction should be expected rather than a sharp interruption in supplies. This process is already underway: India has reduced its imports of raw materials from Russia from 1.7-1.8 million barrels per day at the beginning of 2025 to approximately 1.1 million barrels per day in January 2026.

Alexander Frolov, deputy director general of the Russian National Energy Institute, recalled the statements by some Western news agencies that India intends to reduce its purchases of Russian oil to between 500,000 and 600,000 barrels per day. "This contradicts Washington's claims of a complete refusal. I would assume that direct purchases may indeed decline. However, taking into account resales through second and third parties, imports will remain at roughly the current level," he said.

In turn, Dmitry Kasatkin, managing partner at Kasatkin Consulting, believes that Delhi is acting pragmatically: on the one hand, there are energy security and price advantages, and on the other hand, there are trade agreements with the US and risks associated with sanctions. "The main question is how much supplies will actually decrease, not on paper," he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Alfa Capital Management CEO Dmitry Skryabin believes that it will only be possible to assess the extent to which supplies to India may decline in a few months' time. "According to the latest media reports, China has taken almost all of the Russian oil that was previously supplied to India. As for the price of our oil, it is more appropriate to consider the conditions for reducing the discount," he told Izvestia.

However, according to the expert, this should not be expected in the near term, given the continuing sanctions pressure.

 

Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Experts assess benefits of WTO membership for Russia

The work of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which regulates global trade, has effectively been paralyzed, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk stated. In his opinion, sanctions, tariff and non-tariff restrictions are playing an increasingly important role in international economic relations, and Western countries are using instruments of unfair competition. Experts believe that Russia has not received substantial economic benefits from its WTO membership. Now, the world is moving away from globalization altogether, with many countries introducing ever more restrictive measures based solely on their own interests, disregarding international rules.

Experts agree that the WTO crisis is part of a broader process of transformation of the global economy. Pavel Seleznev, dean of a Russian Financial University faculty, pointed to the "erosion of international law" and the transition to a model based on "might makes right" and bilateral agreements. According to him, the world is shifting away from multilateral mechanisms toward agreements concluded outside the framework of international institutions. Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Customs Policy Council Chairman Georgy Petrov described what is happening as a "phase change": classical globalization is giving way to regionalization, where trade flows and rules are concentrated within macro-regions and political decisions become the basis of economic policy, rather than the other way around.

In practice, this manifests as a sharp increase in restrictive measures. Dmitry Krasnov, managing director of the Rexoft Consulting Competence Center in Agriculture, noted that participants in international trade are increasingly introducing unilateral steps that contradict established multilateral rules.

Meanwhile, the assessment of Russia's WTO membership remains mixed. According to Krasnov, the organization provided "leverage for predictability": multilateral commitments on tariff and non-tariff policies created a clear framework for the state and businesses, reduced arbitrary barriers, and provided opportunities for arbitration. Petrov recalled that "the main tariff positions were fixed," and entrepreneurs understood the limits of rate changes. This made customs and tariff policy more stable.

The reduction in tariffs provided for in the accession terms also had a dual effect. In Russia, some industries faced increased competition due to reduced protectionism upon accession to the WTO. According to Petrov, many manufacturers felt the need to produce higher-quality, more competitive products, which was a positive development.

Seleznev, on the other hand, believes that Russia has not gained any significant economic benefits from its membership. However, even in the current situation, maintaining its membership status allows Russia to continue engaging in dialogue and expressing its views, even with unfriendly countries.

 

Izvestia: Israel accused of attempting to annex West Bank

The Israeli government's decision to resume land registration in the West Bank is a deliberate attempt to seize Palestinian land. Reviving a process frozen since 1968 could eliminate the prospect of creating an independent Arab state. Ahead of the Board of Peace meeting in Washington on February 19, Israel is rushing to create a new situation "on the ground" in order to negotiate the future of the region from a position of strength.

Israeli authorities have begun registering land in Area C of the West Bank, which creates a legal basis for seizing and appropriating Palestinian land. "This is a step toward seizing Palestinian land, accompanied by pressure on the population, the displacement of residents, and the destruction of our state's prospects," Palestinian Fatah movement spokesman Abdel Fattah Dawla told Izvestia. "Such actions directly contradict international obligations and UN resolutions. We view this move as an attempt to legalize the annexation of West Bank territories and undermine all possibilities for the creation of a viable Palestinian state," he emphasized.

Security expert Mohammad Almasri noted that Israel's decision to resume land registration just days before the first Board of Peace meeting appears to be a deliberate move to strengthen the Jewish state's negotiating position in the upcoming talks. By creating new facts on the ground, Netanyahu's government is making future compromises on Gaza or territorial concessions much more difficult and costly for the Palestinians, the expert emphasized.

According to him, while the focus of the Board of Peace is on the reconstruction of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and international aid, Israel is using this moment to irreversibly consolidate its control over the West Bank. This approach allows it to enter negotiations from a position of strength, Almasri emphasized. Any dialogue on the path to Palestinian statehood will now take place against the backdrop of significantly changed realities in the West Bank. This reduces the chances of meaningful territorial concessions on the part of Israel, the expert stressed.

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