US, Russia, and Ukraine to Gather in Saudi Arabia on 24th... Separate Talks with the US

Zelensky: Discussion on Ceasefire Conditions Including Halting Attacks on Energy Facilities

The United States, Russia, and Ukraine will all gather in Saudi Arabia on the 24th (local time).

From the left, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia; Donald Trump, President of the United States; Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Photo by AFP Yonhap News.

According to AFP and TASS on the 20th, Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy advisor to the Kremlin, said that a meeting between the U.S. and Russian delegations regarding the Ukraine issue will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 24th, expressing hope that "the consultations will be productive."

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, also stated at a press conference held in Oslo, Norway on the same day, "There will be a meeting with the United States in Saudi Arabia on Monday (the 24th)," adding, "According to my American colleagues, after the meeting between the U.S. and Ukraine, a meeting between the U.S. and Russia will follow." He further noted that this meeting aims to reach an agreement on ceasefire conditions, including the cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine.

Advisor Ushakov introduced Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council's International Affairs Committee, and Sergey Beseda, Advisor to the Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), as members of the Russian negotiation delegation, describing them as "experienced negotiators."

Earlier, Steve Witkoff, U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, mentioned in a media interview that follow-up negotiations between the U.S. and Russia were scheduled to begin on the 23rd in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, indicating that the schedule and location have since been changed.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said at a briefing that "the two presidents also discussed the resumption of the Black Sea agreement during their recent call. Various nuances need to be discussed." He added, "(The delegations) have extensive experience in implementing the Black Sea agreement. We respected all the conditions at that time, but none of the conditions imposed on us were fulfilled," emphasizing that all complex circumstances must be sorted out before discussing the resumption of the agreement.

Since the launch of the 'special military operation' against Ukraine, Russia had signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative to ensure the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. However, Russia declared the termination of the agreement in July 2023, citing the failure to fulfill Russian demands regarding the export of Russian grain and fertilizers. Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the ceasefire implementation in the Black Sea along with the issue of ending the war during a phone call on the 18th.

Regarding Europe's stance, spokesperson Peskov criticized, "The signals coming from Europe are related to plans to militarize Europe. This conflicts with the atmosphere of seeking a peaceful resolution by the U.S. and Russian presidents."