US strives for progress in Trump's ceasefire in Saudi Arabia

US strives for progress in Trump's ceasefire in Saudi Arabia

A delegation of the United States, led by the real estate magazine and diplomat Steve Witkoff, has started a top-class meeting with the negotiators of the Kremlin in Riad, Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration is committed to an armistice in separate conversations with Russia and Ukraine.

progress in the negotiations

The Russian news agency Tass reported on the ongoing talks on Monday morning and referred to a not mentioned source.

previous conversations between the USA and Ukraine

The meeting takes place a day after talks between a US team under the direction of Keith Kellogg, the envoy of President Donald Trump for Kiev, and the Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The latter described the conversations as "Productive and focused".

differences in the expectations

While many from Washington and all of Europe hope that some first positive signals can result in a 30-day ceasefire and long-term negotiations, there are considerable differences in expectations between Russia, Ukraine and their US representatives.

Current developments on the battlefield

A wave of Russian drone attacks cost at least six people in Ukraine at the weekend, including young families. Moscow accuses the Ukraine of recently attacking gas and oil systems in Kursk and Krasnodar, despite the offer to set the attack on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

The Russian negotiation delegation

The experienced Kremlin diplomat Grigory Karasin and former secret service chief Sergey Beda belong to the Russian delegation in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riad, as the Russian state media reported. Many in Ukraine see Beda as a hardline nationalist and early supporters of the comprehensive invasion of Russia in February 2022.

controversy within the negotiations

The confidence on the Ukrainian side was through Witkoff's recent rhetorical support for many of President wladimir Putins Maximum positions before the talks. In an interview with the podcast host Tucker Carlson on Sunday Witkoff " Sympathy for Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine to show and described the four regions that Russia officially wants to annex - Cherson, Saporischschja, Donetsk and Luhansk - as "Russian -speaking".

referenders and international reactions

"There were referenders in which the overwhelming majority of people stated that they want to live under Russian rule," he said. Russia held the referenders in the occupied areas of the four territories in September 2022. These voices were widely regarded as shams and at that time strongly criticized by the United States and European allies.

The central question of conflict

"The Russians are de facto control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that it is Russian territories?" Witkoff asked on Sunday. "Can (Ukrainian President Wolodymyr) survive Zelensky if he recognizes this? That is the central question in conflict."

Russia's conditions for an armistice

Moscow explains that a ceasefire is not possible, unless Kiev agrees not to use it so that his troops are newly supplied or restructured. In addition, Russia has publicly expressed decisive demands, such as that Ukraine must never join NATO.

Zelensky shows responsibility

In a speech on Sunday evening, Zelensky laid the end of the war on Putin. "The one who started this war must also end it," he said.

This story continues to develop and is updated.