US and Russia engage in Saudi talks amid grain deal tension
The French agency AFP highlights the differences in the composition of the delegations and the topics of the US talks with Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
Defence Minister Rustem Umerov led the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Russian delegation, which the American side begins talks with on Monday, consists of former diplomat Grigory Karasin and Federal Security Service representative Sergei Beseda. AFP describes these differences as a symbol of the discrepancies that must be overcome to achieve a ceasefire.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the main topic of talks with the Americans is the resumption of the grain deal. However, he did not mention any potential commitment to halting the fighting.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was agreed upon in July 2022. Turkey and the UN mediated the agreement. However, the Russian side withdrew from it, citing severe difficulties in exporting its food and fertilizers.
Talks between the Ukrainian and US delegations
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov reported the conclusion of Sunday's meeting with the US delegation in Riyadh. According to the Polish Press Agency, the talks concerned a ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine.
We have concluded our meeting with the American team. The discussion was productive and focused — we addressed key points including energy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s goal is to secure a just and lasting peace for our country and our people — and, by extension, for all of Europe. We are working to make that goal a reality—wrote Umerov on the X platform.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, following his conversation with Umerov, emphasized that the negotiations with the US delegation were very fruitful. He stressed, however, that it is crucial to exert pressure on Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, to order a halt to the attacks. The talks focused on security issues, the protection of energy facilities, and critical infrastructure.
