US and Ukraine hold talks in Saudi Arabia
The US and Ukraine held talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, discussing a potential ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.
The meeting took place as the White House is planning to arrange “indirect talks” between Russian and Ukrainian teams. The “technical” negotiations between Russia and the US will begin in Saudi Arabia on Monday, according to US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg.
“The discussion was productive and focused – we addressed key points including energy,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov wrote on X on Sunday. He added that Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky was determined to reach “a just and lasting peace.”
According to Umerov, the sides discussed “proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure.”
Earlier this week, Russia and Ukraine agreed to Trump’s proposal to stop attacks on energy infrastructure for 30 days.
The Ukrainian troops have since struck an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar Region and, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, blew up a gas metering station near Sudzha in Kursk Region. Moscow accused Ukraine of violating the ‘energy truce’ and warned that it reserves the right to retaliate.
Trump Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News on Sunday that he remained optimistic about the upcoming meeting with the Russians. “I think that you’re going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries,” he said.
Witkoff told journalist Tucker Carlson in an interview published on Friday that the US intends to broker a 30-day full ceasefire that would be followed by a permanent truce.
