MOSCOW: US and Ukrainian officers have been as a consequence of meet in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (Mar 23) for talks on halt the Russian invasion, a member of the Ukrainian delegation informed AFP, whereas the Kremlin warned of “troublesome negotiations” and a protracted journey to peace.
US President Donald Trump is pushing for a fast finish to the three-year battle and his envoy stated on Sunday he anticipated “actual progress” from the talks in Riyadh, which is able to see US officials hold separate discussions with delegations from Ukraine and Russia.
Regardless of each side proposing totally different plans for short-term ceasefires, assaults have continued unabated. A Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital killed three civilians in a single day.
Initially scheduled to happen concurrently in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the talks on a partial truce now look set to happen one after the opposite.
“The assembly with the People is deliberate to happen tonight” in Riyadh, a Ukrainian supply informed reporters, together with AFP.
Russia’s negotiators stated beforehand they’d maintain talks with the US aspect on Monday.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff voiced optimism that any settlement struck would pave the way in which to a “full-on” ceasefire.
“I feel you are going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some actual progress, notably because it impacts a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between each international locations. And from that you’re going to naturally gravitate to a full-on capturing ceasefire,” he informed Fox Information.
However the Kremlin on Sunday downplayed expectations of a fast decision, saying talks have been simply starting.
“We’re solely initially of this path,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed Russian state TV.
He stated there have been many excellent “questions” and “nuances” over how a possible ceasefire is perhaps carried out.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected a joint US-Ukrainian name for a full and rapid 30-day pause, proposing as an alternative a halt in assaults solely on power services.
“There are troublesome negotiations forward,” Peskov stated within the interview, printed on social media.