A FRESH round of tense, Trump-backed Ukraine-Russia peace talks are to begin today in Saudi Arabia.
The US team are looking to get a ceasefire in the Black Sea to allow free flow of shipping, as well as a pause on fighting in Ukraine.
ReutersMarco Rubio, Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff in Riyadh last month[/caption]
RexDonald Trump wants a peacefire by Easter, a report claims[/caption]
ReutersRussian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council in March[/caption]
EPAUkrainian rescuers working at the site of an overnight drone attack in Kyiv on the weekend[/caption]
At the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, US-Russian talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine have already began.
It came after US officials held meetings with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia’s capital.
Despite Ukrainian and Russian delegations being at the same compound, they will not directly interact with one another, with all talks going through the US.
On Sunday, Ukrainian and US delegations discussed proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure, Ukraine’s defence minister confirmed.
This is part of a gargantuan diplomatic push by President Trump to desperately end three years of war.
The Republican’s special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism on the chances for ending the bloody conflict.
He told Fox News on Sunday: “I feel that [Putin] wants peace.
“I think that you’re going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries.
“And from that, you’ll naturally gravitate into a full-on shooting ceasefire.”
You can follow our blog, below, for all the latest updates …
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
