Zelensky holds military cabinet meeting in Kharkiv ahead of talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia tomorrow
Kyiv, March 23 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday held a meeting of the military cabinet in Kharkiv, media reported.
The situation on the frontlines and preparations for a meeting with the US in Saudi Arabia were discussed, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Zelensky noted that during the meeting, he received briefings from Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrii Hnatov.
Additionally, the Head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, and his deputy, Pavlo Palisa, attended the meeting.
The following topics were discussed:
“We discussed the situation at the front and the developments in main directions — Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy — as well as the course of the operation in the Kursk region. We also prepared for the meeting between the Ukrainian and American delegations, which will take place tomorrow in Saudi Arabia,” the Ukrainian President said on Sunday.
Ukrainian and US officials are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia on March 24 for continued peace talks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post to social media on Wednesday.
Following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18, a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes was agreed upon.
Zelensky and Trump held a subsequent call on March 19 to discuss the US President’s conversation with Putin the day prior, with Zelensky ultimately agreeing to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
Zelensky’s announcement comes as US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said on March 19 on X that talks between Russian and American delegations to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine will also take place on March 24 in Riyadh.
“Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace. We instructed our advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible,” Zelensky said following the call.
Zelensky voiced that the US and Ukrainian delegations will continue to work out “technical issues” regarding the partial ceasefire.
During a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki earlier on March 20, Zelensky said that Kyiv will compile a list of energy, infrastructure, and civilian sites that Russia must cease attacking and present the document to international partners.
“In further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security guarantees,” he said.
Ukrainian and US delegations last met in Saudi Arabia on March 11, where Ukraine agreed to a US proposal for a complete ceasefire. Russia did not agree to a complete ceasefire.
Prior to the March 11 meeting, Ukrainian and US relations were at a low point following a heated argument in the White House between Zelensky and Trump on February 28.
US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine were paused for several days until the two sides met in Saudi Arabia on March 11.
Included in the Ukrainian delegation are Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa.
–IANS
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