Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], March 24 (ANI): Delegations from the United States and Ukraine have engaged in discussions in Saudi Arabia as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to negotiate a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war, Al Jazeera reported.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed the talks on Sunday, stating that the focus was on safeguarding energy infrastructure and critical sites amid ongoing hostilities. The discussions are taking place under the mediation of the administration of US President Donald Trump, as efforts continue to establish a framework for peace.

The negotiations come ahead of scheduled meetings between Russian and Ukrainian representatives on Monday. Umerov emphasised Ukraine's commitment to securing a 'just peace' while reinforcing national security.

'We are implementing the President of Ukraine's directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security,' he wrote on X.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed cautious optimism regarding the talks, telling Fox News that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to peace. 'I just don't see that he wants to take all of Europe,' Witkoff said. While the US and Russian delegations are set to meet separately in Riyadh, the broader discussions reflect an effort to establish common ground amid persistent hostilities.

As diplomatic engagements continue, the situation on the ground in Ukraine remains volatile. At least seven people were killed in Russian drone strikes overnight, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling on Western allies to intensify pressure on Moscow to cease attacks. In Kyiv, a drone strike resulted in three deaths, including a five-year-old child, while injuring ten others, according to the city's military administration.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires and structural damage across multiple districts as emergency services responded. In the eastern Donetsk region, four more fatalities were reported, with regional Governor Vadym Filashkin confirming that three victims were killed in a strike on the front-line town of Dobropillya.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia had launched 147 drones overnight, targeting multiple regions. Of these, 97 drones were intercepted, while 25 failed to reach their targets. The scale of the strikes prompted Zelenskyy to highlight the increasing frequency of Russian attacks, noting that 'more than 1,580 guided aerial bombs, almost 1,100 strike drones and 15 missiles of various types' had been used against Ukraine in a single week. He called for 'new solutions' and greater international pressure to halt the strikes and bring an end to the conflict, reported Al Jazeera.

In response, Russia's Ministry of Defence reported that its forces had 'destroyed and intercepted' 59 Ukrainian drones overnight, with operations concentrated over the regions of Rostov and Astrakhan.

Meanwhile, Trump has suggested that efforts to de-escalate the war are progressing but remain complex. Speaking to Clay Travis, the founder of sports website Outkick, during an interview aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that 'rational discussions' and maintaining strong relationships with both Putin and Zelenskyy were crucial to achieving peace.

Trump recently held separate discussions with Putin and Zelenskyy, aiming to broker a ceasefire. While the talks did not result in a comprehensive 30-day truce, Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for the period, a condition Zelenskyy accepted. However, despite the temporary agreement, both sides have since accused each other of targeting energy facilities, further complicating the peace process.

The Kremlin has downplayed expectations of an imminent resolution, emphasising that negotiations remain in the early stages. 'We are only at the beginning of this path,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Russian state television, adding that challenging discussions lie ahead.

Russia's primary interest in talks with the US includes revisiting the 2022 grain deal, which allowed safe passage for Ukrainian agricultural exports through the Black Sea. Moscow withdrew from the agreement in 2023, arguing that the West had not upheld its commitments to ease sanctions on Russian agricultural and fertiliser exports, as per reports by Al Jazeera.

Russian delegation leader Senator Grigory Karasin expressed limited expectations for the upcoming talks but stated that some progress was possible. Speaking to the military-affiliated Zvezda TV channel, Karasin said he and fellow negotiator Sergey Beseda of the Federal Security Service (FSB) were approaching the discussions with a 'combative and constructive' stance. 'We are going with the mood to fight for the solution of at least one issue,' Karasin said. (ANI)