As uncertainty looms on when the temporary ceasefire will take effect on the Russia-Ukraine war, the Kremlin has expressed its hope of making progress at the negotiation talks set to take place in Riyadh next week.
This would be the second round of talks on a ceasefire with the United States. Delegates from Russia and Ukraine are expected to be present at the table for talks. Moscow on Thursday announced that Sergei Beseda, the former FSB chief, who played a key role in planning Russia's full Ukraine invasion, would travel to Riyadh for Monday talks with the US.
The 59th Separate Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems named after Yakiv Handziuk.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2025
I received a report on the situation within the brigade's area of responsibility, the use of unmanned systems, electronic warfare equipment, and robotic complexes produced by the brigade itself. I… pic.twitter.com/QRQpA9121N
Beseda would be joined by Grigory Karasin, the chair of the Russian senate’s committee on international affairs, for a new round of talks with the US as well.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Kyiv delegation would meet US officials on Monday and hand over a list of energy infrastructure that would be off-limits for strikes by Russia.
Also read | Ukraine lists its 'red lines' for any peace deal with Vladimir Putin. Details here
Later, the US representatives would be meeting delegates from both nations.
After President Vladimir Putin's phone call with Donald Trump, Moscow rejected the US's proposal of a 30-day ceasefire halting the Ukraine war. However, Putin agreed to a deal to halt aerial strikes on Kyiv's energy infrastructure.
It remains to be seen whether the 'shuttle democracy', a term used by US Keith Kellogg as Washington representatives would be meeting both Ukrainian and Russian delegations separately, would actually make some progress this time.
"We hope to achieve at least some progress...Russian delegation would take a combative and constructive mood into the talks," said Russian senator Karasin.
Meanwhile, both countries have been continuing their attacks despite Putin ordering his army to stop targeting Ukrainian energy sites.
Zelenskyy has accused Russia of making "unnecessary demands" that will drag out the war and said the Russian strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure had not stopped despite Putin's claim about his readiness to halt them.
