Russia-US talks in Saudi Arabia wrap up
Talks between senior Russian and American officials focused on a settlement of the Ukraine conflict and maritime security in the Black Sea, have concluded in the Saudi capital of Riyadh after more than 12 hours. A joint statement on the talks is expected to be released on Tuesday, RIA Novosti and TASS reported, citing sources. The Russian Foreign Ministry released a short video showing the country’s negotiating team leaving the talks. “The Russian-American consultations have concluded,” the ministry said without providing further details. Meanwhile, a White House source told Reuters that a “positive announcement” was expected “in the near future,” following progress made in the Riyadh talks. Grigory Karasin, a veteran diplomat and chairman of the parliamentary International Relations Committee who is part of the Russian delegation, described the Riyadh talks as “creative” but also “technical.” “Not every negotiation yields a high-profile document or agreement,” Karasin told reporters earlier in the day during a break in the negotiations. “What matters is maintaining communication and understanding each other’s positions. In this regard, we are succeeding.” The talks primarily revolved around maritime security in the Black Sea and the prospects of resurrecting the Black Sea Initiative, popularly known as the ‘grain deal’, which was originally mediated by the UN and Türkiye. Russia withdrew from the deal in July 2023, citing the West’s failure to meet its end of the deal. “If you recall [the original version] of the deal, there were significant obligations made to our side that were never fulfilled. This remains part of the agenda,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in the day. US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of revisiting the deal as a part of his effort to reach a broader truce between Moscow and Kiev, Peskov explained.
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