US and Ukraine to Hold New Round of Talks Following US-Russia Meeting, The Guardian Reports

According to The Guardian on March 24, the United States and Ukraine are set to hold a new round of negotiations following ongoing talks between American and Russian delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The discussions between the US and Russia began on the morning of March 24 and are focused on a potential partial ceasefire in Ukraine. Following these talks, the US delegation is expected to meet again with their Ukrainian counterparts to discuss the outcomes.

The upcoming US-Ukraine talks will be the second round in recent days. The first meeting took place on March 23 and included discussions on energy infrastructure and port security.

Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov led the delegation, which consisted of diplomats, military personnel, and specialists in port operations. The US side was headed by Keith Kellogg, Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia.

The meetings are focused on halting long-range attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and civilian facilities, as well as reducing hostilities in the Black Sea to ensure the safety of commercial shipping routes.

However, there remains ambiguity around the definition of “energy infrastructure.” Ukrainian officials have called for the inclusion of railways and ports in any potential protection framework.

Earlier, high-level US and Russian delegations held closed-door talks at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, focusing on the potential revival of the Black Sea Initiative and broader aspects of ending the war, according to Russian officials.