US, Russian security advisors discuss efforts to end Ukraine war

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) – US and Russian security advisors discussed efforts Wednesday to end the war in Ukraine, following a call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Mike Waltz, US national security advisor, wrote on X that he spoke with his Russian counterpart, Yuri Ushakov.

“We agreed our technical teams would meet in (the Saudi Arabian capital of) Riyadh in the coming days to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia,” Waltz wrote.

The discussions follow a call Tuesday between Trump and Putin, where the two leaders addressed normalizing ties, resolving the war and the Middle East.

Trump said they agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire halting attacks on energy and infrastructure, though Kyiv had already consented to a broader 30-day truce last week.

Trump had sought to have Putin consent to joining that proposal as well, threatening potential economic penalties on Moscow if Putin did not agree.