Geneva Talks Conclude Without Agreement on Security or Refugee Issues
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, November 14, 2025
The 65th round of the Geneva International Discussions ended on November 12 without significant progress, as participants failed to reach agreement on key political and humanitarian issues.
Delegations from Georgia, Russia, the United States, and representatives of Occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia met to discuss the security situation in the region and ongoing humanitarian concerns. The talks, co-chaired by officials from the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, are part of a process launched after the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.
Georgia's delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia, called for full compliance with the 2008 ceasefire agreement and urged the safe return of displaced persons to their homes. The Georgian side also raised objections to new air and transport links between Russia and Abkhazia, warning that such actions undermine the country's sovereignty.
Tbilisi demanded that the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) in Gali and Ergneti continue operating without restrictions, describing them as essential tools for managing tensions along the dividing lines.
However, the session broke down when Russian and separatist representatives left the meeting after the issue of displaced persons was raised. Similar walkouts have disrupted previous rounds of discussions.
In their closing remarks, the international co-chairs expressed disappointment that one of the main agenda items could not be addressed and called on all parties to continue engaging in good faith.
The Russian delegation reiterated its call for a binding agreement on the non-use of force between Georgia and the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Moscow also criticized the annual UN resolution on displaced persons, saying it obstructs dialogue, and suggested relocating the discussions from Geneva to what it described as a "neutral venue."
Representatives from Russian-occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia repeated their demand for recognition of their independence and insisted that discussions on refugee returns would only continue once Georgia "depoliticizes" the matter.
The next round of the Geneva International Discussions is expected to take place in March 2026.
