Moscow formed its delegation only after the USA did so, selecting the most effective candidates for communication to negotiate with specific representatives of the American side, reports Politeka.net.
According to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, this entire strategy is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempts to secure maximum concessions from Donald Trump's administration.
Information provided by ISW indicates that Putin is seeking a favorable agreement in both economic and diplomatic realms while simultaneously avoiding direct discussions about the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has already stated its demands, which include the resumption of access to approximately $6 billion in frozen assets of the Central Bank of Russia, as well as the restoration of diplomatic missions between the two countries, according to Politika.
Reportedly, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov had previously stated that Russia would not appoint its negotiator until Washington did so. As noted by ISW, the USA was the first to form its delegation for the bilateral talks held in Saudi Arabia, after which Moscow prepared its representatives.
Analyzing the Kremlin's strategy, experts suggest that Putin is trying to push the USA towards accepting terms that are not directly related to the war in Ukraine. In exchange for this, Russia is willing to make concessions regarding military actions, allowing Washington to achieve Trump's stated goal – peace in Ukraine.
Source: understandingwar.