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In continued efforts to broker a ceasefire amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, US negotiators met with Russian representatives on Monday following separate discussions with Ukrainian officials the day before. Despite an initial agreement in principle between Moscow and Kyiv for a limited 30-day ceasefire, negotiations have proven difficult as both sides continue to launch drone and missile attacks.
Disagreements remain over which infrastructure targets should be protected under any ceasefire agreement. While the White House has emphasised the inclusion of “energy and infrastructure,” the Kremlin has interpreted the deal to cover only “energy infrastructure.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for additional protections for railways and ports.
Ceasefire Talks in Riyadh
Monday’s talks in Riyadh aimed to resolve these differences and potentially introduce a pause in Black Sea attacks to safeguard commercial shipping. According to reports from Russian state agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti, US and Russian representatives met in the morning, following the US-Ukraine discussions the previous day.
Serhii Leshchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, told the Associated Press that the Ukrainian delegation remained in Riyadh for further negotiations. Grigory Karasin, a Russian official involved in the talks, described the discussions as “creative” and noted that both sides were working toward mutual understanding.
Ongoing Hostilities
Even as talks continue, both Russia and Ukraine have carried out attacks. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that a Ukrainian drone attempted to strike an oil pumping station in southern Russia but was intercepted before reaching its target.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that the Russian forces adhered to President Vladimir Putin’s order to halt energy infrastructure attacks for 30 days. Peskov, however, accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire by targetting Russia’s energy facilities, including a gas metering station in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian military has denied responsibility, claiming the attack was carried out by Russian forces.
Zelenskyy maintained that Russia is prolonging the conflict, saying, “Since March 11, a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has been on the table, and these attacks could have already stopped. But it is Russia that continues all this.” He urged Ukraine’s allies, including the US and European nations, to increase pressure on Moscow to end the hostilities.
Challenges in Reaching a Full Ceasefire
Zelenskyy has expressed openness to President Donald Trump’s proposal for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire, but Moscow has set conditions, including halting Western arms supplies to Ukraine and suspending Ukraine’s military mobilisation—terms Kyiv and its allies have rejected.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, voiced optimism during an appearance on Fox News Sunday, saying he expected “some real progress” in the negotiations. He also suggested that a pause in Black Sea hostilities could naturally lead to a broader ceasefire.
China Denies Plans to Deploy Peacekeepers
Amid speculation that China might send peacekeepers to enforce a potential ceasefire, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun firmly denied such claims. “Let me stress that the report is completely false. China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is clear and consistent,” Guo said at a press briefing, according to AP.
Although China has provided economic and diplomatic support to Russia, including trade earnings from oil, it has not supplied weapons or personnel, the report stated.
Ukraine Targets Russian Military Aircraft
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces announced on Monday that they had destroyed four Russian military helicopters in the Belgorod region using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems. The attack, captured on drone footage and shared via Telegram, targetted a concealed staging area used by Russian aircraft for launching surprise attacks on Ukrainian forces.
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