“Productive and targeted discussions”this is how the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, at the head of the delegation of his country, qualified exchanges with American officials who were held on Sunday, March 23, in Riyadh. On Monday, it is the Russian turn to sit at the negotiating table with the United States in Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, called, in a message on social networks on Sunday, to ” push “ his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, “To give a real order to stop the strikes”. “The one who sparked this war must finish it”he said. “It is clear to everyone that Russia is the only one to make this war last” And “Without pressures, they will continue to despise real diplomacy and destroy lives”.
At the end of discussions with the Americans,, Rustem UMEROV said that “Key points, especially energy”had been discussed, recalling the Ukrainian objective of obtaining a “Just and lasting peace”.
Commenting on the talks scheduled on Monday with the Russians, Donald Trump's special emissary, Steve Witkoff, was optimistic, saying to expect “Real progress”,, “Particularly with regard to a ceasefire in the Black Sea on ships between the two countries”. “And, from that, we will naturally head for a total ceasefire”said the American emissary.
Ukraine says “Ready” At a cease-fire ” general “ and without conditions. But Vladimir Putin, whose army is advancing on the ground despite heavy losses, seems to play the watch, as long as his men did not expel the Ukrainian troops from the Russian border region of Koursk. At this stage, the Kremlin claims to have only agreed with Washington on a moratorium concerning the bombing of energy infrastructure.
His spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, has already tempered expectations around Monday discussions. “This is a very complex subject and there is a lot to do”underlined Mr. Peskov, believing that the negotiations would be “Difficult”. “We are only at the beginning. »»
Ukraine has taken over a village in the east
Despite the acceleration of efforts in order to bring the views of the belligerents closer to the means of reaching a ceasefire in the war launched by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the fighting continues with deadly strikes in Ukraine and Russia.
The Ukrainian authorities reported on the night of Sunday to Monday of strikes affecting the regions of kyiv, Kharkiv (East) and Zaporijia (east), making several injured, in the aftermath of deadly bombing on the capital.
The Ukrainian army announced on Sunday that it has taken over the small village of Nadia, in the eastern region of Louhansk, a rare success for the Ukrainian soldiers in this area almost entirely controlled by Russia. The Russian forces have said they had seized the locality of Sribne, also in eastern Ukraine.
The memorable world
Test your general culture with the writing of the “world”
Test your general culture with the writing of the “world”
Discover
Symbol of divergences to be filled to arrive at a truce, the Ukrainian delegation is led by the Minister of Defense, while the Russian delegation is made up of an ex-career senator, Grigori Karassine, and Sergei Besseda, a FSB framework, the security services.
Another notable difference: Dmitri Peskov said that “The main one” subject of discussion with Americans would be “Resumption” of the application of the cereal agreement in the Black Sea, failing to mention a possible commitment concerning the suspension of the fighting, limited or without conditions.
This agreement, in force between July 2022 and July 2023, had enabled Ukraine to export its cereals, vital for global food, despite the presence of the Russian fleet in the area. Russia then withdrew, accusing Westerners of not respecting their commitments supposed to soften the sanctions on Russian exports of agricultural products and fertilizers.
Since his return to power in January, Donald Trump has resumed contact with Vladimir Putin, breaking with the policy of isolation carried out by the Westerners against the Russian president.
Source: Lemonde