Ukraine peace talks end abruptly

Reuters Daily Briefing <dailybriefing@thomsonreuters.com>
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2026-02-18 12:59

Daily Briefing

By Kate Turton

Hello. Ukraine peace talks end abruptly after Zelenskiy says Russia is stalling, Americans believe the Epstein files show the powerful get a pass and US Fed minutes could highlight a shift in balance of risks as policymakers put rates on hold.

Plus, as US agriculture flails, farmers see big corn acres as best bet to break even.

Today's Top News

A woman holds a Ukrainian flag at a protest near the United Nations office. Geneva, Switzerland, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

Peace talks

Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva ended abruptly after only two hours, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy saying that the discussions had been "difficult" and accusing Russia of deliberately seeking to delay progress toward a deal to end the four-year-old war.
Iran and the US reached an understanding on main "guiding principles" in talks aimed at resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute, but that does not mean a deal is imminent, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said.
US Foreign Policy Editor Don Durfee joins today's episode of the Reuters World News podcast to talk shuttle diplomacy in Geneva - and questions about how effective it is to have Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner juggle two crisis talks at once. Listen now.

In other news

European Central Bank Executive Board Member Piero Cipollone said he had “no news” about ECB President Christine Lagarde resigning before the end of her term. The Financial Times reported that Lagarde plans to leave her job early, ahead of next year's French presidential election.
US public approval of Donald Trump's immigration policies fell to the lowest level since his return to the White House, amid signs he is losing support on the issue, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Americans believe that wealthy and powerful people are rarely held accountable, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found after the release of millions of records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's connections in elite US business and political circles.
Meta CEO and billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is set to be questioned for the first time in a US court about Instagram's effect on the mental health of young users, as a landmark trial over youth social media addiction continues.
Nine skiers were missing after an avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, but six others, who had been stranded, have since been rescued, authorities said.

Business & Markets

Traders work, as screens broadcast a press conference by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. New York City. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Minutes of the US Federal Reserve's January 16-17 meeting are expected to provide more detail on why central bankers kept interest rates on hold last month and what it may take to convince them further rate cuts are warranted at a time when risks to the job market may be easing and progress on lowering inflation has been slow.
An Indian university has been asked to vacate its stall at the country's flagship AI summit after a staff member was caught presenting a commercially available robotic dog made in China as its own creation, two government sources said.
US farmers, though punished by slumping prices after last year's monster corn harvest, are expected to cut back only slightly on their plantings of the grain in 2026 as they brace for a fourth straight year of narrow profit margins or even losses.
Bayer said its Monsanto unit had reached an agreement worth as much as $7.25 billion to resolve tens of thousands of current and future lawsuits claiming that its Roundup weedkiller caused cancer.
Electric vehicle maker Polestar will roll out refreshed versions of its top-selling Polestar 2 and 4 models over the next year to support European sales, it said, choosing quick, lower-cost updates over all-new models to stem its cash bleed.
A US federal judge threw out a lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings that alleged the restaurant and sports bar chain deceived consumers by selling boneless wings that are not actually de-boned chicken wings.

Amid tributes to Jesse Jackson, advocates see test for US race relations

Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

Among an outpouring of tributes following the death of US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, rights advocates vowed to continue his fight for racial justice and an inclusive democracy amid escalating attacks on diversity efforts.

Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84, helped lead the nation's civil rights movement after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., spending more than half a century working to dismantle segregationist systems and broaden political participation for Black Americans and other marginalized communities.

But diversity and civil rights initiatives in the US are facing increasing pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration.

Read more

In Pictures

Anastasiia Gubanova of Georgia performs during the Women's Figure Skating Short Program. REUTERS/Amanda Perobell

Our top photos from Day 11 of the Milano Cortina Olympics.

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