US and Russia to hold Ukraine war talks in Saudi Arabia on Sunday

The United States and Russia have agreed to hold talks on the war in Ukraine on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following a phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We’ve got a team going to Saudi Arabia, led by our National Security Advisor (Mike Waltz) and our Secretary of State (Marco Rubio),” US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Tuesday night in an interview with Fox News.

Trump described the call with Putin earlier on Tuesday as “very good and productive”, announcing on social media that both sides had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure.”

“We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump wrote. “That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!”

The Kremlin confirmed that Putin approved the 30-day pause in attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and immediately ordered Russian forces to comply. But Putin said that any broader peace deal and full ceasefire must address Russia’s security concerns, including a halt to Western military aid to Ukraine.

Trump and Putin also discussed a range of other issues, including maritime security in the Black Sea and a prisoner exchange scheduled for Wednesday, in which 175 captives from each side will be swapped. Russia will also release 23 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Moscow also raised concerns about Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, calling for a monitoring mechanism to oversee the ceasefire along the front lines. Russian officials accused Kyiv of violating past agreements, citing recent Ukrainian strikes in Russia’s Kursk region.

“Right now, in many regions, you can literally hear what Russia truly needs,” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said in response on Tuesday afternoon. “Around 40 Shahed drones are in our skies, and air defense is active.”

“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war.”

Zelenskyy called for tougher sanctions on Russia, continued military aid to Ukraine, and stronger alliances among Western nations to counter Russia’s demands.