After U.S.-Ukraine discussions on March 23, the US side plans to hold talks with Russian diplomats. The White House said the objective of the conversation is to reach a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
In addition, the delegations are expected to discuss a proposed "line of control" between the two countries, described by the source as “monitoring measures, peacekeeping, freezing lines where they now stand.”
Reuters’ source also noted talks will include "confidence-building measures," namely, the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
The U.S. delegation is headed by Andrew Peek, Senior Director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior official from the State Department.
Russia will be represented by Grigory Karasin, the Federation Council’s international affairs committee chairperson, and Sergey Beseda, advisor to the director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
Ukraine’s delegation is led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and includes Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa.
On March 24, Umerov confirmed that talks between the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations concluded in Riyadh. The discussions lasted approximately five hours.
"The meeting was constructive and in-depth, covering various technical issues, including proposals for protecting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and critical facilities," he said then.
A source from Ukraine’s Presidential Office told Suspilne that the Black Sea issue will be a key topic in Riyadh.
On the evening of March 23, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the latest round of talks with U.S. officials as constructive.
Earlier, on March 20, U.S. special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg said that in Riyadh, the US delegation will hold separate meetings with both Ukrainian and Russian representatives.