Ukraine and U.S holds ceasefire talks in Riyadh

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that U.S. and Ukrainian talks in Riyadh were productive and covered key points like energy.

In a post on social media platform X, Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, highlighted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s goal is “to secure a just and lasting peace” for Ukraine and Europe, adding, “We are working to make that goal a reality.”

According to the Ukrinform news agency, the Ukrainian delegation also comprised Deputy Energy Minister Mykola Kolisnyk, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Karasevych, and deputy directors of the President’s Office Pavlo Palisa and Ihor Zhovkva. Palisa stated that they would not be meeting with the Russian mission in Riyadh that same day.

Ukraine seeks peace amid rising tensions in U.S.-Russia talks

Kyiv agreed to a U.S. proposal for a 30-day truce in exchange for lifting the U.S. pause on military aid and information sharing during the previous Jeddah meeting two weeks ago.

Additionally, this meeting precedes Monday’s planned discussions with Russian and American delegations. According to a Russian presidential aide, the Kremlin’s team includes Sergey Beseda, an adviser to the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, and Grigory Karasin, the chairman of the country’s upper house’s international affairs committee.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of stalling peace efforts while carrying out harsh measures. Despite both leaders theoretically agreeing to a temporary ceasefire, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have worsened.

On Friday, an EU summit in Brussels reiterated the call to strengthen Europe’s defenses. EU leaders agreed that by 2030, the bloc’s 27 members must be fully capable of defending themselves against a Russian attack.

Meanwhile, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is leading the U.S. delegation in Saudi Arabia. Speaking to U.S. media outlets, Witkoff expressed doubts about the concerns that Putin aims to seize more territory in Europe.

“I just don’t see that he wants to take all of Europe. This is a much different situation than it was in World War I and World War II; there was no NATO,” he said.

“I take Puntin at his word in this sense. And I think the Europeans are beginning to come to that belief, too. But it sort of doesn’t matter. That’s an academic issue.”

He added that his main focus is delivering “his boss” U.S. President Donald Trump’s agenda—ending the war.

Ongoing Tensions and Challenges for ceasefire

Tensions are still high despite Riyadh’s positive progress. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of impeding ceasefire attempts while continuing to act as an “aggressor.”

Although both leaders had agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire, Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukraine in recent days. These events highlight how difficult it is for both parties to come to a sustainable peace deal. The talks in Riyadh are a significant step forward in the international attempt to resolve the conflict in Ukraine diplomatically.

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