US and Russia begin new talks in Saudi Arabia – Details
Photo: from the meeting of the US and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, which took place on February 18 (Getty Images)
On Monday, March 24, US and Russian representatives began another round of negotiations. The meeting is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the Americans held consultations with the Ukrainian side yesterday.
RBC-Ukraine shares the details of the new round of US-Russia talks.
Update from 2:45 p.m. Kyiv time. Ukraine and the US will hold another round of negotiations after the US-Russia meeting.
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Ukrainian officials are expecting a meeting with their American counterparts to continue discussions on a possible ceasefire later, after the completion of the negotiations between Russia and the US.
"We are still waiting for the results of the meeting between the US and Russia. Based on that, we will have another meeting with the United States," said the Ukrainian official.
Update from 12:46 p.m. Kyiv time. Representatives from the US and Russia have been negotiating for several hours and have taken a break for lunch.
Pro-Kremlin media have reported such news. Karasin, who is part of the Russian delegation, stated that negotiations with the US representatives are "progressing creatively," and that there is "interesting discussion on current topics."
According to him, Moscow and Washington are supposedly "managing to maintain contact and understand each other's point of view."
Update from 12:19 p.m. Kyiv time: Russia has made the first statements regarding the new negotiations between Russia and the United States in Riyadh.
According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the so-called "Black Sea initiative" will be the main topic of today's discussions between the US and Russia in Riyadh.
He stated that the security of navigation in the Black Sea will be the primary focus of the talks, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be immediately briefed on the outcomes of the consultations. Afterward, he will "conduct an international phone call in the afternoon." However, the Kremlin has not clarified with whom the call will be.
Update from 09:20 a.m. Kyiv time: According to pro-Kremlin media, the meeting will be closed. Journalists were allegedly asked to leave The Ritz-Carlton hotel, where the negotiations are taking place.
What US and Russia to discuss
As previously reported, following the talks in Riyadh, the US delegation aims to reach an agreement with Ukrainian and Russian representatives on a ceasefire in the Black Sea to ensure free navigation.
Reuters, citing a knowledgeable source, reports that after US-Ukraine negotiations on March 23, the Americans plan to meet with the Russians today, March 24. The White House states that the main goal of the discussions is to achieve a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
At the same time, the parties are expected to discuss a "control line" between the two countries, which the Reuters source described as "measures for oversight, peacekeeping, and freezing the lines as they are." According to the source, discussions also include "confidence-building measures," particularly the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
Representatives of delegations
The US delegation is led by Andrew Peek, Senior Director of the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, Senior State Department official.
Representing Russia are Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, who has long worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry, and General Sergey Beseda, formerly Head of the FSB’s 5th Service, which handles operational intelligence and international affairs. He is now an Advisor to the Head of the FSB.
Today's US-Russia negotiations follow discussions the Americans had with the Ukrainian side on Sunday, March 23. However, additional consultations with Ukraine today have not been ruled out.
Previously, US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg stated that in Riyadh, the Americans would hold separate talks with the Ukrainian and Russian delegations as part of so-called "shuttle diplomacy." Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that direct contacts between Ukraine and Russia were not expected.
Regarding the US-Ukraine talks in Riyadh yesterday, they lasted about five hours. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, one of the Ukrainian delegation members, described the discussion as "constructive and substantive," with various technical issues addressed, including proposals for protecting energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
These new meetings between the US and Ukraine, as well as the US and Russia, come amid Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine has agreed to this proposal, but only on the condition that Russia also commits to it.
However, the Kremlin has only announced a temporary halt to attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Despite Moscow’s claims, it continues its aerial terror against Ukrainian cities.
As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in his video address yesterday, on March 11, 2025, an unconditional ceasefire was proposed in Ukraine, but Russia is "prolonging the war.
