Russia says it does not rule out contacts with US officials in coming days

By Burc Eruygur and Diyar Guldogan

ISTANBUL / WASHINGTON (AA) - Russia said on Tuesday that it does not rule out contacts with officials from Washington in the coming days, as the US and Ukraine held talks in Saudi Arabia during which Kyiv agreed on a 30-day ceasefire.

“We do not rule out contacts with US representatives in the next few days,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state news agency TASS.

Her remarks came after talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

In a joint statement, the parties declared Ukraine’s readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an "immediate, interim" 30-day ceasefire, provided that Russia agrees to the proposal.

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes Russia will agree to a ceasefire plan and that there will be a US meeting with Russia later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Following the talks in Saudi Arabia, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told reporters that he would talk to his Russian counterpart in the coming days.

"We have named a delegation in terms of the next steps from the Ukrainian side. I will talk to my Russian counterpart in the coming days," he added.