The US and Russia had an agreement, and Ukraine has a chance to change the situation, – White House adviser
7 March 2025 20:23
The United States had “good interaction” with Russia on the ceasefire in Ukraine. Assistant to the President of the United States Mike Waltz said this during a briefing at the White House on March 7, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“The hostilities must stop. We had good interaction. We had an initial agreement with the Russians. Ukrainians had a great opportunity to unite our economies through a mining agreement. Unfortunately, it didn’t go so well, but we think things will get back on track,” Waltz said.
The American official also added that “both sides need to come to the negotiating table.” According to Waltz, the talks between Kyiv and Washington, which are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in the near future, may bring this moment closer.
Ukraine-US talks in Saudi Arabia: what is known about them
In early March 2025, high-ranking US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss a potential framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire aimed at ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This meeting is an important step toward restoring dialogue between Washington and Kyiv, especially after recent tensions that led to the suspension of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Background and context
The planned talks will follow a controversial meeting in late February 2025 between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During this meeting, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance expressed dissatisfaction with President Zelensky’s failure to thank the United States for its assistance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago. These disagreements led to the abrupt suspension of plans for an economic agreement on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and the suspension of all US military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Goals of the meeting in Saudi Arabia
The upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia are aimed at creating a basis for a peace agreement and initiating a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The U.S. delegation, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, seeks to assess Ukraine’s readiness to negotiate with Russia. This initiative emphasizes the US administration’s focus on a diplomatic solution to the military conflict.
Ukraine’s position and expectations
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already expressed hope for a “meaningful meeting” with US representatives in Saudi Arabia, viewing it as an opportunity to advance peace talks with Russia. He noted that the Ukrainian and American teams had resumed joint efforts in anticipation of the talks. However, Zelenskyy also expressed reservations about the temporary ceasefire, citing concerns about Russia’s previous non-compliance with such agreements.
International dynamics
The choice of Saudi Arabia as the venue for the talks is noteworthy, as Riyadh recently hosted talks involving the United States and Russia. This neutral venue could facilitate a more open dialog between the parties. In addition, the meeting takes place amid heightened tensions: Russia has launched large-scale missile and drone attacks across Ukraine after the United States suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv. In response, US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing significant banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it does not join the ceasefire talks.
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