Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 24, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRussia's FSB veteran and diplomat lead Ukraine talks with the US in Riyadh, focusing on diplomacy and sanctions.
(Reuters) - A veteran of Russia's FSB security service and a former long-serving diplomat are representing Russia at the latest round of talks with the United States over Ukraine, taking place on Monday in Saudi Arabia.
SERGEI BESEDA
Beseda, 70, is currently an adviser to FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov. From 2009 to 2024 he was head of the FSB's 5th service, which runs agents in former Soviet countries and was therefore closely involved, experts say, in intelligence preparations for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Beseda's position appeared precarious after Ukraine fought back much more strongly than expected and Russia's initial assault on Kyiv was beaten back, but he remained in his post.
Former U.S. ambassador John Sullivan wrote in his memoir that Beseda also took part in negotiations with the United States in 2021 on exchanging prisoners held in each other's jails. That is still a live issue in Russia-U.S. ties, with at least 10 Americans behind bars in Russia now.
GRIGORY KARASIN
Karasin, 75, is a career diplomat whose past roles include deputy foreign minister and ambassador to Britain.
He is now a member of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, and chairs its international affairs committee.
Both he and Beseda have been placed under Western sanctions.
(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
The main topic is the diplomatic talks between Russia and the US concerning Ukraine, held in Riyadh.
Sergei Beseda, an FSB veteran, and Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat, represent Russia.
The talks are taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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