RIYADH: The White House has thanked Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating talks with Russia and Ukraine to restore peace in the Black Sea.
A statement said: “The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The US reached separate agreements with Russia and Ukraine in Riyadh to keep the waterway secure, which is a vital route for agricultural goods.
The two parties visited Saudi Arabia to discuss initial steps to address key issues in the hope of achieving a broader resolution to the conflict.
The United States will help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.
The White House statement said that the US and Russia agreed to develop measures for implementing an agreement reached between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelensky and his team to do one thing and not the other.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also praised the discussions, describing them as early steps toward a peaceful settlement.
Saudi Arabia’s involvement underscores its commitment to fostering dialogue and supporting efforts toward a political resolution. The Saudi actions have been recognised as a major diplomatic step that could potentially alter the course of the conflict.
The results of these talks could open the door for further negotiations and potentially lead to a broader resolution of the conflict.
Both the US and Russia have agreed to remove barriers in their bilateral relations and continue working toward a peaceful solution in Ukraine.
