President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. delegations in Saudi Arabia was "constructive and beneficial," with progress made on key issues, in his evening address on March 23.
"Our team is working quite constructively, and the discussion has been very beneficial. The work of the delegations is ongoing," Zelensky said.
Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, echoed this sentiment, adding that the talks were focused and helpful for advancing Ukraine's strategic goals.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, said the discussions included military, diplomatic, and energy representatives. "The conversation was constructive and meaningful — we discussed key issues, including in the energy sector," Umerov wrote on Facebook.
Zelensky also called on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to achieve a ceasefire.
"Since March 11, there has been a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, which would have stopped such attacks. But it is Russia that continues all of this. Without pressure on Russia, Moscow will continue to treat true diplomacy with contempt and destroy lives," Zelensky said.
"Whatever we are discussing with our partners right now, Putin must be forced to issue a real order to stop the strikes: whoever started this war must be the one to end it," he added.
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, according to U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Ukraine has made it clear that no direct communications between Ukraine and Russia will be held in Saudi Arabia this week.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
(Updated: )
