US, Ukraine hold peace talks in Saudi Arabia as strikes persist
Shafaq News/ Delegations from the United States and Ukraine met in Saudi Arabia over the weekend for talks aimed at advancing peace negotiations, as Russian strikes continued to pound Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a televised address on Sunday that negotiations were "constructive" but stressed the need for Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the attacks. "No matter what we say to our partners today, we need to get Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes," he said.
Kyiv’s delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, has been focused on securing the protection of energy sites and critical infrastructure, which remain key targets in Russian assaults. A partial truce remains a contentious issue, with Ukraine and Russia at odds over its scope.
“We are implementing the President of Ukraine’s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security,” Umerov said in a post on X.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff, speaking to Fox News on Sunday, expressed cautious optimism about the negotiations, saying he believed Putin was open to peace. “I just don’t see that he wants to take all of Europe,” he said.
The Russian and US delegations are set to meet separately in Riyadh on Monday.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting has intensified. Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media that Russia launched more than 1,580 guided aerial bombs, nearly 1,100 strike drones, and 15 missiles of various types over the past week. “New solutions are needed, with new pressure on Moscow to stop both these strikes and this war,” he said.
