USA strive for progress at Trump’s ceasefire in Saudi Arabia

USA strive for progress at Trump’s ceasefire in Saudi Arabia

A delegation of the United States, led by the real estate magnate and diplomat Steve Witkoff, has taken on a decisive meeting with negotiators of the Kremlin in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration is committed to an armistice in separate conversations with Russia and Ukraine.

Current developments in conversations

The Russian news agency TASS reported on Monday morning that the talks are underway, with a source not mentioned by name. This meeting took place one day after the conversation between a US team led by President Donald Trump Kyjiw ambassador Keith Kellogg and the Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The latter described the conversation as "Productive and targeted".

expectations and challenges

While many spectators in Washington and all of Europe hope that an initial positive mood can be translated into a 30-day ceasefire and long-term negotiations, there are significant differences in the expectations between Russia, Ukraine and US negotiators.

An attack with Russian drones demanded at least six fatalities in Ukraine, including young families, at least six fatalities. Moscow accuses Ukraine of recently attacking gas and oil devices in Kursk and Krasnodar, although Russia has offered to hire attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

composition of the Russian delegation

The Russian delegation in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh includes experienced diplomats such as Grigory Karasin and the former secret service chief Sergey Beda. The latter is viewed by many in Ukraine as a nationalist and formerly supporter of the extensive invasion of Russia in February 2022.

trust deficit and rhetorical support

The confidence on the Ukrainian side was through Witkoff's recent rhetorical support for many of President wladimir Putins Maximum positions not strengthened before the conversations. In a conversation with the podcast moderator Tucker Carlson on Sunday, Witkoff expressed sympathy for Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine and described the four regions that Russia would like to annex-Cherson, Saporischschja, Donetsk and Luhansk-as "Russian-speaking".

"There were referenders in which the overwhelming majority of people have indicated that they want to live under Russian rule," he said.

referenders and the question of territorial control

Russia held in the occupied areas of the four regions. These elections were widely regarded as farce and strongly criticized both by the United States and European allies at that time.

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

expectations of a ceasefire

Moscow explains that a ceasefire will not be possible, unless Kiev agrees not to use it so that his troops can be re -eloged or reorganized. In addition, Moscow has publicly expressed important demands, such as that Ukraine must never join NATO.

Putin's responsibility and the way to peace

In a speech on Sunday evening, Selenskyj clearly laid the responsibility at Putin to end the war. "The one who started this war must also end it," he said.

This story is under development and is continuously updated.