Ukraine And US Hold ‘Productive’ Talks In Riyadh; Russia Talks Up Next

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Sunday that talks between US and Ukrainian delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were “productive and focused,” with energy-related issues among the key points addressed.

Leading the Ukrainian delegation, Umerov took to social media platform X to stress President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s objective of securing “a just and lasting peace” for Ukraine and the broader European region. “We are working to make that goal a reality,” he stated.

The Ukrainian delegation also comprised State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Karasevych, Deputy Heads of the President’s Office Pavlo Palisa and Ihor Zhovkva, along with Deputy Energy Minister Mykola Kolisnyk, according to the Ukrinform news agency.

No Direct Talks With Russia in Riyadh

On the same day, Palisa confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation would not be meeting with Russian representatives during their stay in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy described the discussions between US and Ukrainian officials as “very productive” in a video address on Sunday evening. He reiterated his call for sustained international pressure on Russia to enforce a “genuine” ceasefire.

The talks in Riyadh came nearly two weeks after a prior meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, where Kyiv accepted a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. In exchange, the US agreed to lift its pause on military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

Significantly, these discussions took place just ahead of scheduled talks between US and Russian delegations set for Monday.

Russia’s Representation in Upcoming Talks in Riyadh

The Kremlin’s delegation for the upcoming discussions includes Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs in Russia’s upper house, and Sergey Beseda, an adviser to the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, according to a Russian presidential aide.

The timing of these talks follows recent accusations from Zelenskyy that Russian President Vladimir Putin is deliberately stalling ceasefire efforts while continuing aggressive military actions. Despite a limited ceasefire agreement in principle, Russian attacks on Ukraine have reportedly intensified.

Against this backdrop, an EU summit in Brussels on Friday reaffirmed the need to bolster European defence capabilities. EU leaders agreed that the 27-member bloc must be fully prepared to defend itself against a potential Russian attack by 2030.

US Special Envoy’s Perspective on Putin’s Intentions

The US delegation in Riyadh is led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Speaking to American media, Witkoff expressed skepticism over fears that Putin harbors ambitions to seize additional European territory.

“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 remarked.

“To me, it just… I take him 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 emphasized that his priority is to advance “his boss” US President Donald Trump’s agenda of ending the war.

Trump Expresses Cautious Optimism

President Trump, speaking on Saturday, suggested that efforts to prevent further escalation between Russia and Ukraine were “somewhat under control.” He also expressed hope that the Riyadh discussions would pave the way for a breakthrough, finally bringing the more than three-year war to an end.

Also Read: Saudi Arabia Hosts Crucial US-Ukraine Negotiations Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict