RIYADH — A few hours after kicking off the talks between the U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh on Monday, the Kremlin confirmed that Moscow and Washington had a common understanding on the need to move towards a settlement to end the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a press briefing on Monday that Moscow and Washington share a desire to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. "But there were still many different aspects to be worked out," he said. Peskov noted that the Black Sea de-escalation initiative is the main topic of discussions with the American side and negotiations are ongoing on technical issues. He also emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not changed his order not to target energy infrastructure in Ukraine despite Kyiv's violations. Earlier on Sunday, Peskov said there were many outstanding questions over how a potential ceasefire might be implemented. "There are difficult negotiations ahead and the "main" focus in Russia's talks with the United States would be a possible resumption of a 2022 Black Sea grain deal that ensured safe navigation for Ukrainian farm exports via the Black Sea. "On Monday, we mainly intend to discuss President Putin's agreement to resume the so-called Black Sea initiative, and our negotiators will be ready to discuss the nuances around this problem," Peskov said. Moscow pulled out of the deal -- brokered by Turkey and the United Nations -- in 2023, accusing the West of failing to uphold its commitments to ease sanctions on Russia's own exports of farm produce and fertilizers. In the Riyadh talks, the US side was being led by Andrew Peek, a senior director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior State Department official. Russia was represented by Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat who is now chair of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sergei Beseda, an advisor to the director of the Federal Security Service. The Riyadh talks are aimed at making progress towards a broad ceasefire in Ukraine with Washington eyeing a separate Black Sea maritime ceasefire deal before securing a wider agreement. The talks, which followed U.S. negotiations with Ukraine in Riyadh on Sunday, come as U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies his drive to end the three-year-old conflict after he last week spoke to both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House says the aim of the talks is to reach a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, allowing the free flow of shipping, though the area has not been the location of intense military operations in recent months. US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up "productive and focused" talks in Riyadh Sunday night on de-escalating the war with Russia. The meeting between the Ukrainian team, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and the Americans finished up late Sunday night. "The discussion was productive and focused -- we addressed key points including energy," Umerov said on social media, adding Ukraine was working to make its goal of a "just and lasting peace" a reality. Monday's Riyadh talks follow crucial talks held between high ranking US and Russian officials in the presence of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Mosaad Al-Aiban, in Jeddah on March 11.
