Ukraine says ceasefire talks on right track, Russia not convinced

US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up ‘productive and ­focused’ talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday on de-escalating the war with Russia.

The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh where talks are being held. Picture: AFP.

US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up “productive and ­focused” talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday (AEDT) on de-escalating the war with Russia, whose delegation was set to hold its own separate discussions with the Americans.

US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid end to the three-year war and hopes the talks in Riyadh can pave the way to a breakthrough, but the Kremlin has warned of “difficult negotiations” ahead.

Despite both warring sides proposing different plans for temporary ceasefires, attacks have continued unabated.

Originally scheduled to take place simultaneously to enable shuttle diplomacy – with the US going back and forth between the delegations – the technical-level talks on a partial truce are now taking place separately, one after the other. The meeting between the Ukrainian team, led by ­Defence Minister Rustem ­Umerov, and the Americans finished up late Sunday night (local time), Mr Umerov said.

“The discussion was productive and focused – we addressed key points, including energy,” he said on social media, adding Ukraine was working to make its goal of a “just and lasting peace” a reality.

Mr Umerov had previously said proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure would be on the agenda.

In an evening address, Ukrain­ian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “Russia is the only one who is dragging this war out”.

“No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes: the one who brought this war must take it away,” he said.

Mr Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, voiced optimism that any agreement struck would pave the way to a “full-on” ceasefire.

“I think you’re going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday (local time) some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries. And from that you’ll naturally gravitate to a full-on shooting ceasefire,” he said.

But the Kremlin downplayed expectations of a rapid resolution, saying talks were just beginning.

“We are only at the beginning of this path,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state TV.

He said there were many outstanding questions over how a ­potential ceasefire might be implemented.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected a joint US-Ukrainian call for a full and immediate 30-day pause, proposing instead a halt in attacks only on energy facilities.

“There are difficult negotiations ahead,” Mr Peskov said.

He added that the “main” focus in its talks with the US would be a possible resumption of a 2022 Black Sea grain deal that ensured safe navigation for Ukrainian farm exports via the Black Sea.

“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,” Mr Peskov said.

Moscow pulled out of the deal – brokered by Turkey and the United Nations – in 2023, accusing the West of failing to uphold its commitments to ease sanctions on Russia’s own exports of farm produce and fertilisers.

A senior Ukrainian official previously said that Kyiv would propose a broader ceasefire, covering attacks on energy facilities, infrastructure and naval strikes.

Both sides launched fresh drone attacks on the eve of the negotiations. Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack killed three civilians in Kyiv, including a five-year-old girl and her father.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, meanwhile, expressed his unwavering support for Russia’s war in Ukraine during a meeting with a top Russian security official in Pyongyang, North ­Korean state media said.

The meeting between Kim and Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Security Council secretary, followed a South Korean intelligence assessment in late February that North Korea had likely sent additional troops to Russia after its forces suffered heavy casualties fighting in the Russian-Ukraine war.

North Korean and Russian state media said Kim and Mr ­Shoigu discussed various issues, including the war in Ukraine, Moscow’s dialogues with the Trump administration and the ­security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

They reaffirmed the willingness of the two countries’ leaders to “unconditionally” uphold a mutual defence treaty reached at a summit last year in Pyongyang, which pledges mutual assistance if either country faces aggression.

North Korean and Russia media didn’t say whether any new agreements were reached.

Agencies