US and Ukraine negotiations heat up in Riyadh: A quest for energy safety and ceasefire progress
- U.S. and Ukraine commence truce discussions in Riyadh
Hey there! Let's dive into the latest buzz about the talks happening in Saudi Arabia, shall we?
The recent meet-up in Riyadh between US reps and Russia has a focus on "proposals for protecting energy facilities and critical infrastructure," as per Rustem Umerov's Facebook post. They're tackling some complex tech questions, eager for a breakthrough. US special envoy Steve Witkoff, talking to Fox News, is positive about potential "real progress" in these Saudi Arabia talks.
However, Dmitri Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, keeps expectations low. On Russian state television, he mentioned that we're only at the beginning of this negotiation path, and there are still loads of unresolved questions and nuances about implementing a ceasefire.
The tough negotiations ahead will likely center around reviving a 2022 agreement for safe transportation of Ukrainian agricultural exports via the Black Sea, which Russia scrapped in 2023 due to the West's failure to lessen sanctions on Russian agricultural exports.
Not so peachy on the weekends: Despite the diplomatic push, Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine. On Saturday night, Russian drone attacks claimed the lives of a five-year-old girl and her father in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, along with ten other casualties, including an eleven-month-old child. Various districts of Kyiv were hit, and residential buildings faced damage, causing massive fires.
Two more casualties were reported in Bucha near Kyiv, while Russian drone attacks in Saporischschja during the previous night resulted in the deaths of a family of three and injuries to twelve others. On the other side, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have "destroyed and intercepted" 59 Ukrainian drones during Saturday night, most of them in Rostov and Astrakhan in southwestern Russia. According to official reports, two people were killed by Ukrainian drone attacks in these regions.
Still, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged his allies across networks to make "new decisions and increase pressure on Moscow" to stop the attacks and end the war. He also demanded "more air defense systems and real support" from the West.
Previously, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, had stated on Telegram that Russia is far from stopping its aggression, and Putin wants to kill more civilians. In regard to the attacks on civilians living in residential areas, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that they contradict Russia's own peace statements and undermine the peace efforts of the USA and other partners.
Putin dismissed the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. The goal of these Saudi Arabia talks, as formulated by a high-ranking Ukrainian official, is to achieve "at least a partial ceasefire."
The USA has undergone a more Russia-friendly approach since President Donald Trump's return to the White House. In an interview with right-wing host Tucker Carlson, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff voiced admiration for Vladimir Putin, referring to him not as a "villain" but as a "great" leader who wants to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. "I liked him," Witkoff said, "I found him honest with me."
- Ukraine
- Saudi Arabia
- Riyadh
- Ceasefire
- Russia
- Kremlin
- Negotiation
- Delegation
- Rustem Umerov
- Sunday
- Steve Witkoff
- Moscow
- Kyiv
- USA
- Vladimir Putin
- Rostov
- Fox News
- Dmitri Peskov
- Transport
- In 2023, the implementation of the EU's nuclear programmes should be ensured in a manner that aligns with the objectives of the European Union, particularly as the Kremlin continues its negotiations with Ukraine and the USA in Riyadh, striving for energy safety and ceasefire progress.
- Amidst the ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia, it's crucial to address the transport of Ukrainian agricultural exports via the Black Sea, a point of contention that has led to the scrapping of a 2022 agreement by Russia.
- Online discussions about the negotiations in Riyadh have seen praise for US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has expressed finding Russian President Vladimir Putin "honest" in his dealings with the US delegation, despite Putin's dismissal of a 30-day ceasefire proposal.
