Kremlin anticipates tough negotiations in Saudi Arabia over Ukraine
3 Min Read
The Kremlin's remarks come ahead of the Riyadh talks between the two countries, which are scheduled for March 24th.
-
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, March 17, 2025 (AP)
The Kremlin tempered expectations for a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, stating that talks were only just beginning and that "difficult negotiations" lay ahead.
"We are only at the beginning of this path," Dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday in an interview with Russian state TV, adding that there were many "questions" and "nuances" regarding the implementation of the ceasefire. Peskov emphasized that "There are difficult negotiations ahead."
"On Monday we mainly intend to discuss President Putin's agreement to resume the so-called Black Sea initiative, and our negotiators will be ready to discuss the nuances around this problem," Peskov noted, referring to the 2022 Black Sea grain deal which ensured safe navigation of Ukrainian agricultural exports through the Black Sea.
US conducts meeting with Ukrainian officials ahead of Russia talks
A US technical team is meeting with Ukrainian officials in Riyadh today, a day before their scheduled talks with Russian officials, CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs reported, citing sources.
"In Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks, US technical team intends to meet with Ukrainian officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of discussions on Monday with the Russians," Jacobs posted on X on March 22.
She also noted that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz would not travel to Saudi Arabia for these discussions.
Jacobs said that if progress is made in the talks with the Russian team in Riyadh, the US technical team may meet with the Ukrainian team again later on March 24.
A previously reported expert-level meeting between Russia and the United States, as confirmed by Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, is set to take place on March 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Russian delegation will include Grigory Karasin, the head of the Federation Council's international committee, and Sergey Beseda, an advisor to the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB). The talks are expected to focus on the Black Sea Initiative.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had previously stated that negotiations were set to resume in Jeddah on Sunday.
Russia-Ukraine land-dividing contract being negotiated: Trump
Meanwhile, Trump said negotiations were underway regarding a potential agreement to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine, which includes discussions about territorial divisions.
"The contract's being negotiated, the contract in terms of dividing up the lands, etc, etc. It's being negotiated as we speak," Trump told reporters.
He also expressed optimism about the possibility of a full ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia occurring soon, saying, "We're going to pretty soon have a full ceasefire."
In addition, Trump considered that NATO, without the involvement of the United States, would not pose a significant concern to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Without us, NATO is not I can tell you, I've been having very good discussions, as you know, with [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky and with President Putin. And President Putin will tell you that without the United States, he wouldn't be worried, but he is worried when the United States is involved," he said.
Momentum has been building in recent weeks toward a ceasefire in the three-year war, as US officials engage in talks with Russian and Ukrainian sides.
