US envoy Keith Kellogg described the effort as “shuttle diplomacy” between hotel rooms.
Ukraine will meet the US mediators first, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he was “prepared” for talks.
A separate meeting between US and Russian officials in the Gulf kingdom was scheduled today.
Moscow has rejected a joint US-Ukraine proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, countering with a suggested pause on aerial attacks on energy facilities.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have continued exchanging strikes in the run-up to the negotiations.
Last week, a Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Zapor-izhzhia killed a family of three, triggering anger among Ukrainian officials.
Russia also launched drone attacks on Kyiv that hit apartment buildings and caused fires, killing at least two people, Ukraine’s emergency service said yesterday.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said yesterday a “massive attack by enemy UAVs” caused falling debris in several districts of the city, wounding seven.
Russia's defence ministry said it had “destroyed and intercepted” 59 Ukrainian drones overnight, mostly over the regions of Rostov and Astrakhan.
Despite the flurry of diplomacy and push from US President Donald Trump, a breakthrough has so far proved elusive.
“We hope to achieve at least some progress,” Russian senator Grigory Karasin, who will lead the Russian delegation, told the Zvezda TV channel, without specifying on what issue.
He said he and fellow negotiator, FSB advisor Sergey Beseda would take a “combative and constructive” mood into the talks.
A senior Ukrainian official said that Kyiv hoped to secure agreement “at least” on a partial ceasefire covering attacks on energy, infrastructure and at sea. Kyiv is sending its defence minister to the negotiations.
“We are going with the mood to fight for the solution of at least one issue,’ Karasin told Zvezda, which is owned by Russia's defence ministry.
He said they would be leaving for Saudi Arabia yesterday and would return tomorrow.
Russia's choice of negotiators for the talks has raised questions. Both are outside of traditional diplomatic decision-making institutions such as the Kremlin, foreign ministry or defence ministry.
Karasin is a career diplomat who now sits in Russia’s upper house of parliament, while Beseda is a long-time FSB officer and now an advisor to the secur...
Ukraine will meet the US mediators first, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he was “prepared” for talks.
A separate meeting between US and Russian officials in the Gulf kingdom was scheduled today.
Moscow has rejected a joint US-Ukraine proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, countering with a suggested pause on aerial attacks on energy facilities.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have continued exchanging strikes in the run-up to the negotiations.
Last week, a Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Zapor-izhzhia killed a family of three, triggering anger among Ukrainian officials.
Russia also launched drone attacks on Kyiv that hit apartment buildings and caused fires, killing at least two people, Ukraine’s emergency service said yesterday.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said yesterday a “massive attack by enemy UAVs” caused falling debris in several districts of the city, wounding seven.
Russia's defence ministry said it had “destroyed and intercepted” 59 Ukrainian drones overnight, mostly over the regions of Rostov and Astrakhan.
Despite the flurry of diplomacy and push from US President Donald Trump, a breakthrough has so far proved elusive.
“We hope to achieve at least some progress,” Russian senator Grigory Karasin, who will lead the Russian delegation, told the Zvezda TV channel, without specifying on what issue.
He said he and fellow negotiator, FSB advisor Sergey Beseda would take a “combative and constructive” mood into the talks.
A senior Ukrainian official said that Kyiv hoped to secure agreement “at least” on a partial ceasefire covering attacks on energy, infrastructure and at sea. Kyiv is sending its defence minister to the negotiations.
“We are going with the mood to fight for the solution of at least one issue,’ Karasin told Zvezda, which is owned by Russia's defence ministry.
He said they would be leaving for Saudi Arabia yesterday and would return tomorrow.
Russia's choice of negotiators for the talks has raised questions. Both are outside of traditional diplomatic decision-making institutions such as the Kremlin, foreign ministry or defence ministry.
Karasin is a career diplomat who now sits in Russia’s upper house of parliament, while Beseda is a long-time FSB officer and now an advisor to the secur...
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The Mercury (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 24, 2025