Russian media reported that American and Russian negotiators sat down at the negotiating table in Saudi Arabia to negotiate a partial ceasefire in Ukraine, hours after a round of talks between American and Ukrainian negotiators.
State news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti reported that the talks began in Riyadh.
The meeting is expected to be followed by further contact between the US and Ukrainian teams.
Separate meetings are planned to discuss details of suspending long-range attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, as well as ending attacks in the Black Sea to ensure the safety of merchant shipping.
Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle on Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and the countries' leaders, but the sides expressed different views on which targets would be off-limits.
While the White House said “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin said the agreement focused on the narrower “energy infrastructure.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would also like to protect railways and ports.
Russia carried out a series of drone attacks across Ukraine overnight Sunday, killing at least seven people, including a father and his five-year-old daughter in Kyiv.
“More pressure needs to be put on Russia to stop this terror,” Mr Zelensky said, adding that it “depends on all our partners – the US, Europe and other countries of the world.”
Mr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine was open to a full 30-day ceasefire proposed by Mr Trump, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a full ceasefire conditional on ending arms supplies to Kyiv and suspending Ukraine's military mobilization – demands rejected by Ukraine and its Western allies.
Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said he expected “real progress” in the Saudi Arabia talks, “especially because it involves a ceasefire on ships in the Black Sea between the two countries, and that naturally leads to a full-scale ceasefire.”
Regarding Sunday's talks in Riyadh between Ukrainian and US officials, Mr Zelensky said they were held at a more “technical level” than similar meetings last week, this time involving representatives of the Ukrainian armed forces, the energy ministry and the diplomatic corps.
“Our team is working in a completely constructive manner, and the discussion is very useful. The work of the delegations continues,” Mr. Zelensky said.
“But no matter what we discuss with our partners now, Putin must be forced to give a real order to stop the strikes, because whoever started this war must also bring it back.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
