U.S. and Russian officials have commenced discussions in Saudi Arabia as Donald Trump seeks to broker a limited ceasefire, a move that Washington hopes will serve as the first step toward a lasting peace agreement in Ukraine.
Ukraine and Russia have tentatively agreed to a one-month suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure following Trump’s conversations with the leaders of both countries last week. However, there is still uncertainty about when and how the partial ceasefire will be implemented, and whether it will extend beyond energy targets to include other crucial sites like hospitals, bridges, and essential utilities.
Initial talks between U.S. officials and Ukraine took place on Sunday evening, with separate discussions scheduled for Monday with Russia. Most of these meetings are being held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. The U.S. is expected to mediate between the two nations to finalize details and negotiate separate measures to safeguard shipping routes in the Black Sea.
“The ultimate goal is a 30-day ceasefire, during which time we’ll work toward a permanent ceasefire. We’re not far from that,” said U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in a podcast with far-right journalist Tucker Carlson over the weekend.
During the talks, the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations focused on proposals to protect energy facilities and other critical infrastructure, according to Ukraine’s defense minister.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed that his country’s delegation was working in a “completely constructive manner,” adding, “The conversation is quite useful, and the work of the delegations continues.”
Zelenskyy also indicated that he would provide the U.S. with a list of energy infrastructure sites that should be off-limits for Russian strikes.
