Riyadh [Saudi Arabia]: High-level negotiations between a US delegation, led by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Kremlin representatives have commenced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration is pushing for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war through separate discussions with both Moscow and Kyiv, CNN reported.
According to Russia’s TASS news agency, the talks began on Monday morning, citing an unnamed source. The meeting follows discussions held a day earlier between a US delegation, led by President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, and Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, which Umerov described as “productive and focused.”
Observers in the US and Europe hope that these initial talks will lead to a 30-day ceasefire and pave the way for long-term peace negotiations. The Russian delegation, stationed at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, includes Kremlin diplomat Grigory Karasin and former intelligence chief Sergey Beseda, according to Russian state media reports.
Beseda is widely seen in Ukraine as a staunch nationalist and one of the early supporters of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Speaking on Sunday to podcast host Tucker Carlson, Witkoff appeared to acknowledge Russia’s territorial claims in Ukraine, referring to the four contested regions—Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk—as “Russian-speaking.”
He stated, “There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule.”
In September 2022, Russia held referendums in these regions, but the US and European nations condemned them as fraudulent.
Witkoff further remarked, “The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?” He also questioned whether “(Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy can survive politically if he acknowledges this,” emphasizing that this remains a central issue in the conflict.
Russia has insisted that a ceasefire is only possible if Ukraine guarantees it will not use the pause to resupply or reorganize its troops. Additionally, Moscow has reiterated its demand that Ukraine be permanently barred from joining NATO.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy placed the responsibility for ending the war on Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating, “The one who brought this war must take it away.”
Following the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, Defense Minister Umerov expressed optimism, saying, “We have concluded our meeting with the American team. The discussion was productive and focused—we addressed key points, including energy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s goal is to secure a just and lasting peace for our country and our people—and, by extension, for all of Europe. We are working to make that goal a reality.”
In a televised address, Zelenskyy added, “Our team is working in a completely constructive manner. The conversation is quite useful; the work of the delegations is continuing. But no matter what we say to our partners today, we need to get [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes. Whoever brought this war must take it back.”