President Donald Trump says he is seeking a deal to end the war
On Sunday, US officials met with a Ukrainian delegation led by the country’s defense minister. American representatives are scheduled to meet with Russian officials on Monday.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed the meeting in Saudi Arabia. “We are implementing the President of Ukraine’s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security. The agenda includes proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure,” he wrote on X. “Today, we’re working through a number of complex technical issues – our delegation includes energy experts as well as military representatives from the naval and air components.”
Following several hours of discussions with Americans, Umerov said, “We have concluded our meeting with the American team. The discussion was productive and focused – we addressed key points, including energy.” He continued, “President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s goal is to secure a just and lasting peace for our country and our people – and, by extension, for all of Europe. We are working to make that goal a reality.”
The Americans met with Ukrainian officials ahead of meeting with a Russian delegation that will also take place in Riyadh. American and Ukrainian officials could meet again on Monday.
The American delegation includes members of the special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg’s staff, State Department official Michael Anton, and aides to the national security adviser, Mike Waltz. Washington reportedly sidelined Kellogg himself from talks after a request from Moscow.
President Trump is attempting to push Kiev and Moscow to enter a limited ceasefire in hopes it will lead to a broader deal to end the war. Last week, Russia and Ukraine agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. However, it is unclear when that truce will take effect, and so far, the attacks have continued.
Trump has claimed that he is the only person who can secure a deal between Kiev and Moscow. He said on Saturday, “I don’t think there’s anybody in the world that is going to stop [Russian President Vladimir Putin] except me,” adding, “We’ve had some very rational discussions, and I just want to see the people stop getting killed.”
Reprint from Antiwar.com
