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State Department: technical talks in Saudi Arabia aim to broaden partial energy ceasefire in Russia‑Ukraine conflict
Summary
U.S. officials said President Trump, President Putin and President Zelensky discussed steps toward a ceasefire that would begin with energy and infrastructure, and that technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia to negotiate implementation and possible expansion to the Black Sea.
The State Department said senior U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officials are moving to technical talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at implementing a partial ceasefire that would initially cover energy and infrastructure before widening to a full ceasefire.
Tammy, State Department spokesperson, read a joint statement saying President Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir Putin “agreed on the need for this conflict to end with a lasting peace” and that “the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.”
Why it matters: The briefing described an initial, technical‑level negotiation track to convert bilateral presidential calls into implementable measures. The department said the talks are intended to create a de‑escalation that could lead to a full ceasefire and broader peace negotiations.
What officials said: Tammy said President Trump also spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and briefed him on the call with Putin; she said Zelensky asked for air‑defense systems, including Patriot batteries, and that Trump agreed to “work with him to find what was available.” The spokesperson described the technical teams as senior staff rather than principals and said the meetings would occur “in the coming days.”
On Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the statement quoted the presidents as saying U.S. expertise could help operate electrical supply and nuclear plants, and that “American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure,” language read by the spokesperson from the statement.
The department declined to give technical details of the energy ceasefire’s scope pending the Saudi Arabia talks and said observers and implementation plans would follow only after a ceasefire is secured.
Ending: The State Department characterized the talks as fast moving and said the United States and partners are focused on securing a ceasefire that would permit technical work to protect energy infrastructure and broaden to more substantial negotiations.
