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Editor's note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter The Week Ahead, covering events from March 24-30. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.
The week will once again be marked by US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations and frantic European attempts to react to and get ahead of global events.
After some back and forth on scheduling, US and Ukraine teams are set to meet in Saudi Arabia late on Mar. 23, a day before the arrival of the Russian delegation on Mar. 24. Once everyone is in place, the US will likely engage in shuttle diplomacy, moving between hotel rooms.
Talks are expected to focus on technical ceasefire details, including a proposal to designate key energy and civilian infrastructure that Russia must stop targeting (as well as how to establish reliable monitoring mechanisms). Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has set his own conditions and is demanding an end to foreign military and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Although the talks are lower level vs. previous meetings, Russia’s delegation – Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, and Sergei Beseda, an FSB director adviser (famously blamed for faulty intelligence in the wake of the 2022 full-scale invasion) – has sparked suggestions Putin is not taking the talks seriously.
On Mar. 26 the UK Parliament's committees will hold an oral evidence session, likely focused on Russian war crimes, incl. the forced deportation of children – both topics impacted by recent US funding cuts. Speakers will include Daria Zarivna, advisor to Office of the President's head Andriy Yermak and Operations Director at 'Bring Kids Back UA'.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced another meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” on Mar. 27 in Paris, to be attended by President Zelensky. In the absence of NATO or EU consensus, the coalition format is moving to the forefront of preparing measures to support Ukraine, incl. via deployment of post-ceasefire peacekeepers. Among others, British military planners are set to meet next week to accelerate preparations for a peace-keeping force.
Ukraine will move to summertime over the night from Mar. 29 to Mar. 30.
Events and Milestones:
- Mar. 25, "Energy Security Talks: Energy System Under Pressure" (DiXi Group event, time TBA). A discussion on Ukraine’s resilience through the 2024/2025 heating season, key lessons learned, and challenges for the next winter period. Register here.
- Mar. 25, "UP100: The Power of Women" (Time TBA). An awards ceremony recognizing Ukrainian women leading in defense, business, culture, sports, science, and creative industries amid full-scale war.
- Mar. 25, "Software and IT in Ukraine" (09:30-10:30 EET). A session on SAP’s three-decade presence in Ukraine, the IT sector’s success, and post-war economic planning. Register here.
- Mar. 27, "Russia vs. Ukraine: The Final Reckoning?" (FT Subscriber Webinar, 13:00-14:00 GMT). An expert panel on the war’s trajectory, Ukraine’s military sustainability, Europe’s response, and Putin’s next moves. Hosted by FT foreign editor Alec Russell with Ukraine and Russia bureau chiefs. Register here.
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Olena Yermakova
