Negotiations continue in Riyadh to find a path to peace in the Ukraine-Russia war. Shortly after 8 in the morning, a meeting began between Russian negotiators and US envoys at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.
The White House's goal is to end attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure and to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea to ensure the safety of commercial navigation before reaching a broader agreement.
On Sunday, US representatives held "productive" talks with Kiev officials, as assessed by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who specified that they had discussed "key points, especially energy."
Meanwhile, attacks between Kiev and Moscow continued overnight. Ukraine claims to have intercepted 57 of the 99 drones launched by Russia, which destroyed 28 Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine aims to protect its sovereignty from Russian interference
The Zelensky government, which has been denouncing Russian violations of the Minsk agreements and even the 1994 Budapest Protocol, which recognized the country's sovereignty in exchange for its nuclear arsenal, seeks to preserve its state born from the fall of the USSR.
Furthermore, it needs tools to protect itself, given the Russian aggression since 2014 when Ukraine broke free from Moscow's influence. To survive, Kiev demands strong security guarantees in this process. For Zelensky, the best option would be to join NATO, but for now, that seems unlikely as it is one of the red lines for the ceasefire.
Russia in the face of Riyadh talks
In recent days, Moscow has watched with a mix of anticipation and discomfort as Washington pressures for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Like two chemical elements becoming unstable when mixed, the recurring haste of the US leader reacts to the Russian president's overflowing ambition: the magnate wants to advance in time, the spy wants to progress in another dimension, that of space. Trump has expressed his desire to negotiate a truce as soon as possible, Putin seems to be seeking more concessions. These include the demand for Ukraine to stop mobilizing new troops and training forces. And above all, to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine during the ceasefire.
Names of the negotiators
Reuters reports, citing a source familiar with the peace talks planning, that the US side is being led by Andrew Peek, a senior director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior official at the State Department.
Russia will be represented by Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, and Sergei Beseda, an advisor to the director of the Federal Security Service.
US-Russia meeting begins
The negotiation between US and Russian representatives in Riyadh started after 8 in the morning, as reported by the TASS agency.
Large-scale cyberattack on Ukrainian railways
The Ukrainian state railways Ukrzaliznytsia have suffered a large-scale cyberattack on their online systems, as reported by the company on Telegram. System restoration is underway, while train traffic has remained stable and operational without delays.
Russia claims to have intercepted 28 Ukrainian drones
Russian air defense units intercepted and destroyed 28 Ukrainian drones overnight, as revealed by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Twelve drones were shot down over the border regions of Kursk and Rostov. The remaining four were destroyed over Crimea, the Krasnodar region, and the waters of the Sea of Azov, the ministry added.
Ukraine downs 57 of the 99 drones launched by Russia
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that they shot down 57 of the 99 drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 36 dummy drones did not reach their targets.
As a result of the attack, damage occurred in the regions of Kiev (north), Kharkiv and Sumy (northeast), Kirovohrad (center), and Zaporizhia (southeast).
Negotiations between Russia and the United States
US and Russian representatives have been meeting since 8:00 on Monday to discuss a partial ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, a day after talks between Washington and Kiev.
US President Donald Trump is pushing for a quick end to the three-year war and hopes that the discussions in Riyadh will pave the way for an understanding.
The meeting between the Ukrainian team, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and the American team concluded on Sunday night. "The discussion was productive and specific. We addressed key points, especially energy," Umerov stated.