US, Ukrainian delegations hold 'technical' talks in Saudi Arabia to discuss partial ceasefire

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A Ukrainian delegation met with its U.S. counterpart in Riyadh for talks on "technical issues" on the partial ceasefire on energy and critical infrastructure strikes, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on March 23.

The meeting with a technical team comes a day before the U.S. plans to hold separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian delegates on March 24. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 21 that Kyiv would send "technical teams" to flesh out the details of a potential partial ceasefire with Russia.

Ukraine's delegation is Umerov and Pavlo Palisa, the deputy head of the President's Office, an undisclosed Ukrainian source told Sky News.

"We are implementing the President of Ukraine’s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security," Umerov said on X ahead of the discussions.

"The agenda includes proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure.  Today, we’re working through a number of complex technical issues — our delegation includes energy experts as well as military representatives from the naval and air components," Umerov said on X.

Following the conclusion of the talks Umerov said on Facebook that the "discussion was productive and focused," without providing specifics on the outcome of the meeting.

Previously, Zelensky announced that Ukrainian and American delegations would hold talks in Riyadh on March 24. U.S. negotiators planned to hold separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian delegates that day, in a format Special Envoy Keith Kellog described as "shuttle diplomacy."

Washington is also set to hold diplomatic talks with Moscow in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 23, according to U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Ukraine also made it clear that no direct communications between Ukraine and Russia will beheld in Riyadh.

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The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak