Russia appoints new negotiators for US talks in Saudi Arabia

President Vladimir Putin has chosen a controversial figure to lead negotiations with the United States in Saudi Arabia. Sergey Beseda, a disgraced former FSB officer, will head the Russian delegation. He resigned after his intelligence unit provided inaccurate information before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Beseda will be joined by Grigory Karasin, a former ambassador to Britain. The talks are set to start on Monday. They come amid concerns that Putin might be delaying a ceasefire to strengthen his position in Ukraine. This Russian team is less senior than when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in earlier discussions. Before the negotiations with Russia, U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Riyadh on Sunday. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is leading the Ukrainian side, expects the discussions to focus on protecting energy facilities and critical infrastructure. Beseda has a complicated history. His unit was responsible for gathering intelligence in Ukraine, but its failures led to his arrest and he later resigned. Meanwhile, Karasin has experience in diplomacy, having worked with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the past. Karasin has described the upcoming talks as an opportunity to make “at least some progress,” specifically mentioning the Black Sea Grain Initiative. This agreement aimed to resume grain exports from Ukraine and was originally signed in 2022. On the Ukrainian side, Umerov is joined by Pavlo Palisa, who has military experience from his time in the U.S. Army. He has been involved in significant battles during the war, and he currently holds a key position in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office. The U.S. has not revealed who will lead its talks. It is unlikely to be National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has other commitments. Negotiations are expected to happen in separate rooms, a method described as "proximity discussions."