US-Russia Talks on Ukraine Crisis Will Take Place on Monday, Says Kremlin

The next round of talks between the United States and Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict will take place on Monday, according to the Kremlin. The talks will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“We agreed with Mr Waltz (the US national security adviser) that consultations on this matter in a bilateral format will be conducted by experts appointed by the presidents,” Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin ’s foreign policy aide, said.

The Russian delegation will be led by Grigory Karasin, who is a senator and career diplomat, and Sergei Beseda, who is an adviser to the director of Russia’s FSB security agency.

The discussions will focus on ensuring safe shipping in the Black Sea and broader efforts toward a peace settlement in Ukraine.

Kremlin: Europe Has Become a ‘Party of War’

In a related statement, the Kremlin accused Europe of militarizing itself and aligning against efforts by Russia and the United States to achieve peace in Ukraine.

"The signals from Brussels and European capitals now mainly concern plans to militarize Europe, which is clearly at odds with the attitude of the presidents of Russia and the United States to seek ways to enter into a peaceful settlement process," Peskov said.

He further added, "Europe has so far gone into militarizing itself and has rather turned into a party of war."

With the upcoming US-Russia talks, all eyes will be on whether any significant progress can be made toward de-escalation in Ukraine.

Here is What Else You Need to Know

Meanwhile, the war grinds on. Today, Ukraine launched a powerful drone attack, targeting a Russian military airfield near the Engels strategic bomber base, forcing local officials to declare a state of emergency.

Footage circulating online showed a massive mushroom cloud rising over Engels, located in Russia’s Saratov region. The base is home to Vladimir Putin’s Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers, which have played a crucial role in Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine.

Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, confirmed that the airfield was ablaze following the attack and that nearby residents had to be evacuated for safety reasons.

Russian state media reported that “10 victims” were affected by the strike but did not provide further details on casualties or damage.