KEY POINTS
- US and Russian officials meet in Riyadh to discuss a Ukraine ceasefire
- US envoy Steve Witkoff says the immediate goal is a temporary truce
- Moscow willing to discuss reviving the Black Sea grain initiative
- Zelensky calls for increased international pressure on Russia
- Trump pushes for a quick end to the Ukraine war
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: The United States and Russian officials began talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday aimed at making progress toward a broad ceasefire in Ukraine with Washington eyeing a Black Sea ceasefire deal before securing a wider agreement.
The talks, held in Riyadh, follow discussions between American and Ukrainian delegates on Sunday.
According to US envoy Steve Witkoff, the immediate objective is to implement a 30-day ceasefire, during which parties can explore a more comprehensive resolution to the three-year war.
“I think 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. And from that, you’ll naturally gravitate to a full-on shooting ceasefire,” Witkoff told Fox News.
The US delegation is led by Andrew Peek, a senior director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior State Department official, Al Arabiya News reported.
Russia is represented by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service.
Kremlin cautious on breakthrough
Despite Washington’s optimism, Moscow has played down expectations of an imminent agreement.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking to Russian state television, emphasised that the negotiations were in their early stages.
“We are only at the beginning of this path,” Peskov said, adding that numerous challenges remain in defining the scope and implementation of any ceasefire.
According to TASS, Russia has proposed a limited halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, rejecting a US-backed Ukrainian demand for a full and immediate 30-day truce.
📺 The Russian delegation arrives at the venue of the Russia-US talks in Riyadh pic.twitter.com/QEG21vutuZ
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) March 24, 2025
Peskov also said that talks would focus on the possible resumption of the Black Sea grain deal, which Moscow withdrew from in 2023 over concerns about Western sanctions on Russian agricultural exports.
“On Monday, we mainly intend to discuss President Putin’s agreement to resume the Black Sea initiative, and our negotiators will be ready to discuss the nuances around this problem,” he stated.
US push for Ukraine ceasefire
The diplomatic efforts come as Ukraine and Russia have intensified attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged international allies to increase pressure on Moscow.
“New decisions and new pressure on Moscow are needed to bring an end to these strikes and this war,” he posted on social media.
Zelensky also said that Ukraine had provided the US delegation with a list of energy infrastructure sites that should be excluded from Russian strikes.
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Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov described Sunday’s meeting with American officials as “productive and focused,” noting that key topics included energy security and ceasefire proposals.
“We are working to make our goal of a just and lasting peace a reality,” he posted on social media.
Trump’s role in talks
The high-level talks follow direct conversations last week between US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.
Trump has prioritised a rapid resolution to the war, seeing the Saudi-hosted talks as a potential pathway to a breakthrough.
US officials have reportedly adopted a shuttle diplomacy approach, holding separate meetings with Kyiv and Moscow in Riyadh.
Trump’s involvement has coincided with a slight warming of US-Russia relations, according to the Kremlin.
Peskov said that despite ongoing disagreements, there was “huge potential for mutually beneficial cooperation” between the two nations.
“We may disagree on some things, but that does not mean we should deprive ourselves of mutual benefit,” he said.
