US, Ukraine to hold additional talks in Riyadh after talks with Russia

Advisor of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Serhiy Leshchenko has said that an additional round of negotiations between representatives from Ukraine and the US will take place in Riyadh following the completion of talks between Russian and US delegations.

"The Ukrainian delegation is staying in Saudi Arabia and will not return immediately. They plan to hold further consultations after the conclusion of the Russian-American talks," Leshchenko said in an interview with Ukrainian Rada TV channel, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"This means the negotiations will extend for a period of time," he added, confirming that the talks are set to continue.

Leshchenko also noted that on March 23, delegates from Ukraine and the US met in Riyadh for talks centered around establishing a ceasefire in the Black Sea and ensuring the protection of vital port and river infrastructure in the region.

He said that the discussions revolved around two main topics: infrastructure security and the safety of maritime and river traffic. 

“The meeting addressed a bilateral ceasefire, where Ukraine would halt attacks on their maritime and riverine targets, and in return, they would not target our strategic sites such as those in Kherson, Mykolaiv, and the major ports of Odesa,” he noted.

In addition to the ceasefire, Leshchenko revealed that discussions also covered the continuation of prisoner exchanges between the two sides.

The advisor stressed that while the talks were of a technical nature, the possibility of more high-level meetings remains on the table if the negotiations lead to further progress.

By Naila Huseynova