US Prepares to Engage with Ukraine Before Russia Talks in Saudi Arabia

The US will meet with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia before Russian negotiations. The technical team aims to assess progress and may reconvene with Ukraine after discussions with Russia. Key officials will not attend and the meeting is described as technical, focusing on negotiating conditions to end the war.

The United States plans to convene a technical team in Saudi Arabia to meet with Ukrainian officials prior to negotiations with Russia. This meeting is set for Sunday, followed by discussions with Russian representatives on Monday. Should there be any advancements during the Russian talks, a subsequent meeting between the American and Ukrainian teams may occur later in the day.

According to CBS News correspondent Jennifer Jacobs, the US technical team will engage with Ukrainian officials in Riyadh as part of the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. It is important to note that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will not be attending these discussions.

If progress is achieved with the Russian delegation, the US team might reconvene with the Ukrainians on Monday, following a strategy of shuttle diplomacy reminiscent of the Trump administration. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that a meeting between the US and Ukrainian teams is scheduled for Monday in Saudi Arabia, underscoring the significance of the chosen venue.

Spokesman Tykhyi clarified that the upcoming meeting is strictly a technical round with no direct political engagements planned with Russian officials. Keith Kellogg, the US Special Representative for Ukraine, emphasized that these indirect negotiations aim to ascertain each party’s conditions for concluding the ongoing conflict. President Zelenskyy expressed confidence that the Ukrainian delegation would consist of high-level, technically skilled individuals, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

In summary, the United States is facilitating a series of meetings with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia as part of the ongoing negotiations concerning the conflict with Russia. The primary focus is to establish a technical dialogue, with the potential for future engagement if progress is made. The strategic significance of the meetings underscores the US’s ongoing commitment to mediating the conflict.

Original Source: unn.ua