US‑Russia talks in Saudi Arabia: A step towards ceasefire?

The meeting with the Ukrainian delegation occurred on Sunday. According to the Polish Press Agency, it was led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. Meanwhile, the Russian delegation, with which the American side will begin talks on Monday, comprises 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 primary topic of the talks with the Americans is the resumption of the grain deal. However, he did not mention any potential commitment to stopping the conflict.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was agreed upon in July 2022. The agreement was reached through mediation by Turkey and the UN. However, the Russian side withdrew from the agreement, citing severe difficulties exporting its food and fertilisers.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov reported the conclusion of Sunday's meeting with the US delegation in Riyadh. The discussions 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, after the conversation with Umerov, emphasised 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, actually to order a halt to the attacks. The discussions focused on security issues, the protection of energy facilities, and critical infrastructure.