Trump’s national security adviser Mike Walz has previewed what will be a main topic of discussion for Monday’s next round of talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia. At this point the talks between the US and Ukrainian delegations have concluded (as of Sunday night), and up next is the separate meeting with the Russians, which has begun Monday.
“We’re moving closer and we’re closer to peace than we ever have been,” Walz told CBS’ Face the Nation. “And now we have technical teams, actually, with Ukrainians and Russians at the same facility, conducting proximity talks.”
That’s when he revealed a major new focus of negotiations for the Monday talks. “We now going to talk about a Black Sea maritime ceasefire so that both sides can move grain fuel and start conducting trade again in the Black Sea,” Walz described.
Reaching a lasting ceasefire deal would allow both warring countries to “move grain, fuel, and start conducting trade” in the sea again, he said.
Also high on the agenda will be discussions of the front line, the issue of territories, and the achievement and maintenance of sustainable peace. “We’ll talk the line of control… details of verification mechanisms, peace keeping, you know, freezing the lines where they are,” Walz noted.
The issue of “broader and permanent peace” and “security guarantees” are also on the table as the diplomatic engagements proceed.
As the talks in Riyadh have reportedly begun Monday, the Russian ruble has continued to strengthen on to the expectation of a peace deal, by 09:30 GMT gaining over 1% against the US dollar in the over-the-counter market.
