Moscow (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – According to the Kremlin, both Russia and the United States are analysing the outcome of Monday’s talks between their officials in Saudi Arabia, declining to give particulars of the talks, which both sides had expressed would concentrate on a potential naval ceasefire.
Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that delegations, who had been assessing the feasibility of some kind of an agreement between Russia and Ukraine covering navigation in the Black Sea, among other topics, had reported back to their capitals.
“You see, we are talking about technical negotiations that go deep into details. Therefore, of course, the content of these negotiations will definitely not be published. This should not be expected,”
Peskov stated.
“Secondly, I repeat once again, the reports back to the capitals are now being analysed. Only then will it be possible to talk about some understandings.”
There was currently no talk of a three-way meeting involving Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine, Peskov added.
He also said that there were no proposals at the moment for a further discussion between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump but that such a conversation could be promptly organised if required. During their conversation last week, Putin rejected Trump’s suggestion for a complete 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but consented to a halt on strikes targeting Ukrainian energy facilities.
Did Putin and Trump communicate more than publicly disclosed?
The Kremlin stated in a video aired by state television on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump likely had more interactions than the two telephone calls they publicly disclosed in recent months.
Trump, eager for a legacy as a peacemaker, has consistently expressed his desire to conclude the three-year conflict in Ukraine and cautioned about the potential dangers of it escalating into a global war involving the United States and Russia.
This year, there have been two official phone calls between Putin and Trump, on February 12 and March 18. However, speculation exists regarding more frequent communication, including reports of conversations prior to Trump’s election last year.
