U.S. and Russian officials convened in Saudi Arabia on Monday to negotiate a partial cease-fire in Ukraine, even as a missile strike wounded dozens in the war-torn country.
While diplomats met in a luxury hotel in Riyadh, 90 people were injured in a missile attack on Sumy, a northeastern Ukrainian city.
The strike hit a "densely populated residential area," damaging apartments and an educational facility, local officials said. The city's acting mayor reported that a hospital was also affected.
The cease-fire negotiations come as former U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for an expedited resolution to the three-year war.
The U.S. delegation, led by National Security Council senior director Andrew Peek and senior State Department official Michael Anton, engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Ukrainian and Russian representatives.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, leading Kyiv’s delegation, described Sunday’s talks with the U.S. as "productive and focused."
The Ukrainian team anticipated a follow-up meeting on Monday, signaling potential progress.
The discussions primarily revolved around reviving the Black Sea Initiative, a grain-export agreement that previously enabled millions of tons of Ukrainian agricultural products to reach global markets.
Russia withdrew from the deal in 2023, accusing the West of failing to uphold commitments to ease sanctions on its own farm exports and fertilizers.
“This was President Trump’s proposal, and President Putin agreed to it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, confirming Moscow’s agenda for the talks.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism, telling Fox News, "I think you're going to see real progress in Saudi Arabia, particularly on a Black Sea cease-fire. From that, a broader cease-fire could naturally follow."
Moscow, however, tempered expectations of a swift resolution.
Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an immediate 30-day cease-fire. Instead, he suggested halting attacks on energy infrastructure.
“We are only at the beginning of this path,” Peskov said in an interview with Russian state media. “There are difficult negotiations ahead.”
A senior Ukrainian official previously told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Kyiv would propose a wider cease-fire, encompassing energy facilities, infrastructure, and naval attacks.
Even as negotiations unfolded, both sides intensified military actions.
Ukrainian officials reported that a Russian drone strike in Kyiv killed three civilians, including a five-year-old girl and her father.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s national railway operator battled a second consecutive day of cyberattacks.
Despite tensions, Russia entered the talks with renewed confidence following a diplomatic thaw with Washington under Trump.
“The potential for mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries cannot be overstated,” Peskov said. “We may disagree on some things, but that doesn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of mutual benefit.”
