Zelenskyy confirms Ukraine's Defense Minister participation in US talks in Saudi Arabia
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
Ukraine's Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov will be part of the Ukrainian delegation negotiating with the US in Saudi Arabia, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference with Petr Pavel, President of Czechia.
According to Zelenskyy, during the negotiations in Saudi Arabia, which will take place next week, Ukraine will be ready to make decisions quickly. He also noted that the Ukrainian delegation's team is staffed at a very high level.
"These are technically professional people. The Minister of Defense (Rustem Umerov - ed.) will be there. I believe we will be ready to be very quick and very focused," said the President.
Yesterday Sky News reported that, in addition to Umerov, Pavlo Palisa, Deputy head of the Presidential Office, will also participate in the talks with the US.
Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Zelenskyy previously announced that on March 24, Ukrainian officials will meet with American counterparts again in Saudi Arabia. The meeting will take place at the level of technical teams. According to him, a meeting with Russia is scheduled for the same day in Saudi Arabia.
US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg stated that his country would send teams to Saudi Arabia for indirect negotiations with Ukraine and Russia.
However, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukraine sees the upcoming meeting in Saudi Arabia as bilateral with representatives of the US, and there are no plans for contacts between the Ukrainian team and the Russians.
Ukrainian officials have already met with a US delegation in Saudi Arabia. Their first talks lasted about 9 hours. Kyiv and Washington discussed the possibility of a complete ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine agreed to this step.
