Zelenskyy on US talks in Riyadh: Delegations focus on technical issues
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
A meeting between Ukrainian and US delegations is ongoing in Saudi Arabia. This time, negotiations focused on more technical issues, reports Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Today marks the second meeting of the Ukrainian and American teams in Saudi Arabia. This time, the discussions are more technical — our military, our diplomats, and our representatives from the Ministry of Energy," Zelenskyy noted.
The president mentioned that he had already discussed the meeting with Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov.
"He (Ukraine's Minister of Defense -ed.) briefed me on the meeting and the progress of the negotiations. Our team is working very constructively, and the conversation has been quite useful. The work of the delegations continues," the president stated.
Talks in Saudi Arabia
Earlier today, Umerov shared that during the meeting, the parties were expected to discuss proposals regarding the security of energy facilities and infrastructure.
According to The New York Times, the talks in Riyadh are set to last two days. Today, discussions will take place between Ukraine and the US, while tomorrow, talks will be held between Washington and Moscow. A Ukrainian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, also noted that additional negotiations between the Ukrainian and American sides could happen tomorrow, depending on the progress made.
The goal of the meeting is to finalize the details of a potential partial ceasefire, which would include halting strikes on energy infrastructure and reopening shipping lanes in the Black Sea. This could serve as a key step toward a full cessation of hostilities.
It is important to note that the Russian delegation has already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the talks.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine, citing Bloomberg, reported that the Trump administration aims to secure a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine by Easter, April 20. However, White House officials have acknowledged that these deadlines may be subject to change.
RBC-Ukraine also reported that, according to US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, strikes on Ukraine's and Russia's infrastructure stopped five days ago. He believes this occurred after a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
