Moscow is hoping to achieve “some progress” at talks in Saudi Arabia scheduled for Monday, according to a Russian negotiator who spoke to state media. This comes as the United States prepares to meet delegations from both Ukraine and Russia in an effort to halt a three-year conflict.
Moscow has rejected a joint proposal from the US and Ukraine for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Instead, they have suggested halting aerial strikes specifically on energy facilities. Despite this proposal, both sides have continued to launch aerial attacks in the lead-up to the negotiations.
A deadly Russian strike occurred on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on the night of Friday, which resulted in the deaths of a family of three, escalating tensions further among Ukrainian officials. Additionally, Russia carried out drone attacks on Kyiv that struck apartment buildings, causing fires and killing at least two people, as reported by Ukraine’s emergency service early Sunday.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported a “massive attack by enemy UAVs” that resulted in falling debris across several districts in the city, wounding seven people. US negotiators will separately meet with Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, with US envoy Keith Kellogg characterizing the talks as “shuttle diplomacy” conducted between hotel rooms.
Despite the intense diplomatic efforts and pushes from US President Donald Trump, a significant breakthrough remains elusive. Russian senator Grigory Karasin, who will lead the Russian delegation, expressed hope for at least some progress but offered no specifics on the topics to be discussed.
Karasin, along with fellow negotiator Sergey Beseda, an FSB advisor, is preparing to approach the talks with a “combative and constructive” mindset. A senior Ukrainian official indicated that Kyiv aims to secure at least a partial ceasefire agreement, particularly focusing on attacks related to energy, infrastructure, and at sea, with Ukraine sending its defense minister to the negotiations.
The choice of negotiators from the Russian side has raised questions since both Karasin and Beseda are not part of the traditional diplomatic framework of the Kremlin or the foreign and defense ministries. Beseda’s ties to the FSB have drawn scrutiny, particularly since the agency admitted his presence in Kyiv during the 2014 pro-EU revolution, which adds complexity to the peace negotiations.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of not genuinely pursuing peace, condemning ongoing attacks despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims of ordering troops to cease targeting Ukrainian energy sites. Conversely, US envoy Steve Witkoff recently praised Putin as a “great” leader seeking to end the conflict, suggesting a complicated geopolitical narrative surrounding the war.
In the latest escalation, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched a barrage of 179 drones, with one drone tragically crashing into a home in Zaporizhzhia and killing an entire family, including a 14-year-old girl. The local authorities reported on Saturday that at least two individuals were killed and three injured from Russian strikes in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukraine also conducted drone attacks targeting Russia, resulting in injuries in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he had visited troops defending the eastern city of Pokrovsk, which has faced ongoing attempts by Russia to encircle and capture it for months.
