Dramatic breakthrough out of reach

The recent talks between US and Russian delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, offer a glimmer of hope that progress is being made toward at least a limited ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

With the two sides remaining far apart on key issues, the mere fact that talks took place, with the US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations together at the same venue, signals a potential shift from battlefield escalation to diplomatic engagement, a welcome development and one that aligns with China's consistent advocacy for dialogue aimed at a permanent political settlement of the conflict.

The discussions, which lasted 12 hours, focused primarily on securing a temporary halt to attacks on Black Sea shipping and reviving the defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative — a critical agreement that facilitated Ukraine's agricultural exports and stabilized global food prices. The US-brokered 30-day limited ceasefire, which includes preceding pledges by both sides to avoid targeting energy infrastructure, is a modest but meaningful step forward. However, given the deep mutual distrust between Moscow and Kyiv, it would seem to be jumping the gun to anticipate any sudden and dramatic breakthrough. This was highlighted by a statement released by Moscow after the consultations in Riyadh, which said due to Ukraine's position, Russia and the United States failed to reach a joint statement.