One day after finishing “productive and concentrated” talks with Ukraine, American officials sat down with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia on Monday. The meetings are intended to move towards an expanded ceasefire in Kyiv, with Washington emphasizing a Black Sea ceasefire at sea first before getting an overall agreement.

US Urges Black Sea Ceasefire

The Black Sea ceasefire plan is aimed at ensuring the free flow of shipping in the area. This comes after heightened diplomacy from US President Donald Trump, who recently held talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The talks saw the two reach an agreement on a 30-day ceasefire from attacks on energy infrastructure.

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The US delegation in Saudi Arabia is headed by Andrew Peek, senior director at the White House National Security Council, and senior State Department official Michael Anton, a Reuters report citing sources said. Russia is being represented by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council’s foreign affairs committee and a former diplomat, and Sergei Beseda, an advisor to the director of the Federal Security Service.

Ukraine’s Stance on Ceasefire Negotiations

US officials previously met with the Ukrainian delegation, headed by Kyiv’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. He asserted Ukraine’s stand on a “just and lasting peace,” saying, “The discussion was productive and focused — we addressed key points including energy.”

Simultaneously, speaking during a Sunday evening address, Zelensky blamed Russia for extending the war. “Whatever we negotiate with our allies, we have to pressure Putin to issue a true order to end the bombing: the person who brought the war has to remove it,” he stated.

With the US actively facilitating negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a stable ceasefire is still a top priority. The next few weeks will tell if these negotiations will result in a wider resolution or if more hurdles are to be faced in the conflict.