United States seek progress on Trump's truce aspirations as negotiations with Russia commence in Saudi Arabia
Here's a lively take on the current standoff:
deserves a shoptalk between Steve Witkoff and the Kremlin bigwigs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the Trump administration wants the two warring nations, Russia and Ukraine, to put down their weapons and come to the table.
On Monday morning, it was reported that talks were underway, according to Russia's TASS news agency. The discussion came a day after talks between a US team and Ukraine's Defense Minister, which the latter described as "fruitful and dead serious."
However, there's a big rift in what each side expects to walk away with. While folks back in Washington (and across Europe) are keeping their fingers crossed that a 30-day truce will be kicked off and peace negotiations will follow, the chasm between Russia, Ukraine, and their stateside mediators is as wide as the Atlantic.
Russia's been launching a series of drone attacks on Ukraine, killing at least half a dozen civilians, including innocent families. Moscow alleges that Ukraine's responsible for recently bombing gas and oil facilities in Kursk and Krasnodar. But Ukraine claims they've offered to halt assaults on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The Russian party at the swanky Ritz Carlton Hotel includes Grigory Karasin, a seasoned Kremlin diplomat, and Sergey Beseda, formerly a spy chief, and perceived by many in Ukraine as a hard-nosed nationalist who backed Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Witkoff's recent remarks supporting some of Russian President Vladimir Putin's more extreme proposals didn't sit well with the Ukrainian side. During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff seemed to sympathize with Russia's territorial aspirations in Ukraine, calling the four regions Russia wants to formally annex "Russian speaking."
"There have been referendums where the majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule," he said. Russia hosted these referendums in occupied areas of the four territories in September 2022. The votes were widely seen as a farce and were heavily criticized by the US and allies across Europe.
Witkoff asked, "The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?"He went on to say, "Can (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict."
Moscow states that a ceasefire won't be achievable unless Kyiv agrees to not use it for resupplying or re-strategizing its troops. They've also voiced key demands such as Ukraine never being allowed to join NATO.
On Sunday night, Zelensky tossed the ball back in Putin's court, saying, "The one who started this war must end it."
Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds.
Insights:
- The US is working to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine by ensuring a ceasefire and implementing long-term peace settlements.
- Russia aims to secure market access, maintain control over disputed territories, and implement agreements related to maritime and energy security.
- Ukraine seeks recognition of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the return of annexed territories, as well as robust international support in the form of economic aid and military assistance.
- The world is watching as discussions between Steve Witkoff, Russian diplomats, and Ukrainian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aim to bring an end to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
- Expectations of a ceasefire are high, but the negotiation process is complicated by differing viewpoints on Ukraine's potential NATO membership and control of disputed territories.
- A key concern for both sides is the protection and safety of civilian populations, with drone attacks by Russia causing casualties in Ukraine and issues regarding Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
