Russian negotiator Grigory Karasin cast doubt on the Trump administration's efforts to broker a quick ceasefire in Ukraine, saying on March 28 that the talks with the U.S. may not yield decisive results this year.
Karasin led the Russian delegation that held the 12-hour-long technical consultations with the U.S. in Riyadh on March 24. These talks led to an agreement on a partial ceasefire covering strikes against energy infrastructure and Black Sea operations.
The Russian official described the meeting with the U.S. delegation as "constructive" but acknowledged limited results, suggesting that the consultations will continue. When asked about the timeline for clear results in the negotiations, he said they might not come "this year or at the end of this year."
"It would be naive to expect any breakthrough results at the very first meeting," Karasin, chairman of Russia's Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, said in an interview with the state-owned TV channel Rossiya-24.
Kyiv has already accused Russia of violating the energy ceasefire, while the future of the Black Sea ceasefire is in doubt as Moscow has linked it to the lifting of Western sanctions on Russian food producers and some financial institutions.
Moscow previously rejected a full 30-day truce agreed upon by the U.S. and Ukraine in Jeddah on March 11 unless it included conditions undermining Ukraine's ability to defend itself, including a full halt on foreign military aid.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly declared he would broker a swift deal to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for more than three years. His administration briefly halted all military assistance to Ukraine to push it to the negotiating table while exerting little pressure on Russia.
Trump acknowledged on March 25 that Russia may be "dragging their feet" in peace talks, while Kyiv and other observers warn that Moscow intentionally prolongs the process to allow Russian forces to capture more territory.
Martin Fornusek
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