Representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday for critical talks, including discussions on a proposed 30-day ceasefire focused on halting attacks on energy infrastructure. This ceasefire proposal has recently received support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and former U.S. President Donald Trump. The talks will be indirect, with U.S. officials shuttling between the two delegations, which also plan to discuss issues like protecting Black Sea commercial activity.
It remains uncertain whether the ceasefire will be officially implemented following the meetings. The parties involved may eventually need to engage in direct negotiations, but the timeline for that remains unclear.
In parallel, discussions have focused on Trump’s controversial proposal for the United States to take “ownership” of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, particularly the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility. This plant, Europe’s largest before its shutdown, is currently under Russian control and has been in a state of cold shutdown for almost three years. Experts agree that bringing it back online would require years of repairs and significant infrastructure investments. Additionally, it’s unclear whether Ukraine would agree to such an arrangement, with Ukrainian officials reportedly unsupportive of the idea.
As talks unfold, the international community remains focused on finding a resolution to the ongoing conflict while addressing complex issues surrounding nuclear security and energy infrastructure.
