Key Positions and What to Expect as Putin and Trump’s Envoy Hold Ceasefire Talks in Riyadh

Today, Monday, March 24, 2025, Russian and American negotiators are set to hold crucial talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The discussions come a day after the United States held separate talks with Ukrainian officials in the Saudi capital, a meeting described as “productive and focused” by Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov.

The Riyadh talks are seen as a major diplomatic push by the Donald Trump administration to secure at least a temporary ceasefire, followed by broader negotiations for a long-term peace deal. However, significant differences remain between the key parties, with Russia, Ukraine, and the US holding divergent views on what a ceasefire should entail.

Russia’s Position: Key Conditions for a Ceasefire
In a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear that Moscow would only agree to a temporary truce under strict conditions. These include:

• A complete halt to Ukraine’s mobilization, troop training, and weapons imports during the ceasefire period.
• An end to all foreign military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, which Putin described as “the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and making progress toward its resolution through political and diplomatic means,” according to the Kremlin’s readout of the call.

According to New York Times, The White House rejected Russia’s demand to end military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine, insisting that these will continue. However, the Trump administration has been less vocal about Russia’s calls for territorial concessions, sometimes appearing to align with the Kremlin’s stance.

Trump’s personal envoy, Steve Witkoff, echoed a key Russian narrative when he suggested that referendums staged by Russian occupation forces in seized Ukrainian territories justify Moscow’s claims. “There is a view within the country of Russia that these are Russian territories,” Witkoff told Fox News. “There are referendums within these territories that justify these actions.”

The international community, however, has overwhelmingly denounced these referendums as illegal and fraudulent.

At its core, Russia’s demands have remained unchanged: Kyiv must recognize Moscow’s territorial gains, which is now about 18 percent of Ukraine territory, declare neutrality, and scale down its military.

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Ukraine’s Position: Red Lines in the Negotiations
Ukraine initially agreed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by Washington earlier this month. However, when Russia countered with a proposal for a limited ceasefire focused only on energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in discussions with Trump and ultimately agreed to this modified version.

Despite this, Ukrainian officials have set firm boundaries ahead of negotiations:

• Kyiv will never recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories.
• Ukraine will not accept restrictions on joining NATO or limitations on its military size.
• Security guarantees must be part of any peace settlement.

Many Ukrainian diplomats remain skeptical about a ceasefire’s durability. “I do not believe in a ceasefire. We’ve been through this before,” said Kostyantyn Yeliseev, a former Ukrainian deputy foreign minister and veteran of past negotiations. Previous ceasefires between Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly collapsed, with both sides accusing the other of violations.

Adding to the tensions is the fallout from last month’s Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky. That encounter, which was tensed, left Ukraine scrambling to convince Washington that it is not the obstacle to peace.

What’s Next?
While Monday’s meeting in Riyadh marks a significant moment in diplomatic efforts, the road ahead remains uncertain.

• Steve Witkoff suggested in an interview with Bloomberg News that a direct meeting between Trump and Putin in Saudi Arabia is “likely” within weeks.
• The US is expected to continue separate discussions with both Russia and Ukraine in the Middle East to explore options for a limited truce.

However, analysts warn that the underlying conditions for a long-term agreement remain weak. Dmitry Kuznets, a military expert with the independent Russian news outlet Meduza, noted that “both sides still believe that they can continue the war regardless of the American position.” He added, “Moscow’s and Kyiv’s visions of what an agreement could look like are still infinitely far from each other.”

Additionally, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russian president Vladimir Putin, admitted on the Russia state TV that “we are only at the beginning of this path.”