US-Russia and US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia: Key discussions and outcomes

Contents

• Key points of the Riyadh negotiations
• US statements after the talks
• Ukrainian side on the meeting
• Zelenskyy’s reaction
• Kremlin’s official statement
• How the US views the negotiations

Key points of the Riyadh negotiations

Another stage of talks to end the war in Ukraine took place from March 23 to 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The US held two rounds of consultations with the Ukrainian delegation on March 23 and March 25, while meeting with the Russians on March 24. The negotiations with Russia lasted the longest, approximately 12 hours.

This time, the technical teams arrived in Saudi Arabia rather than the participants of previous meetings.

• The Ukrainian delegation was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Also present were Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa, military personnel, energy experts, and specialists in port infrastructure.
• The American delegation included Senior Director of the National Security Council Andrew Pick and Senior US State Department Official Michael Anton.
• The Russian delegation participants were: Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin and FSB Advisor General Sergey Beseda.

The agenda included discussing the details of the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire. According to reports from the parties, discussions addressed the cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure and the restoration of maritime security in the Black Sea region, specifically stopping attacks on Ukrainian ports.

Recall that during the previous round of negotiations, the US proposed a 30-day complete ceasefire in the war. Ukraine agreed to it, while Russia stated that it was ready for a pause in strikes on energy targets and sought the restoration of the Black Sea Initiative.

Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin put forward several additional conditions, including halting mobilization and stopping the supply of Western weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

US statements after the talks

The United States has released separate statements summarizing consultations in Riyadh with Ukraine and Russia.

Both documents state that Washington reached an agreement with Ukraine and Russia on "ensuring safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea."

The statements also contain an identical provision on joint efforts by Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow to implement the agreement on "banning strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine."

All sides welcomed "the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements."

In its statement on consultations with Ukraine, the US reaffirmed its commitment to "achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children."

Meanwhile, in the statement following talks with Russia, Washington noted that it would help restore Moscow’s access to the global agricultural export market and fertilizer trade, reduce maritime insurance costs, and expand access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

The final paragraph of both statements underscores that the US "will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh."

Ukrainian side on the meeting

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov outlined in an official statement the agreements reached with Washington on maritime security and halting strikes on energy infrastructure.

Regarding the "maritime agreement," the defense minister emphasized that any movement of Russian warships beyond the eastern part of the Black Sea would be considered a violation of the agreement. He stated that this would be regarded as a breach of commitments to ensure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and a threat to Ukraine’s national security.

"In such a case, Ukraine will have the full right to exercise its right to self-defense," Umerov said.

He also noted that during the consultations, the parties discussed the release of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia. The US reaffirmed its support in resolving these issues.

According to Ukraine’s defense minister, it is crucial to continue technical consultations in the near future to finalize all details of the agreements.

Screenshot from facebook.com/rustemumerov.ua

Notably, the first round of negotiations between Ukraine and the US took place on March 23 and lasted about 5 hours. According to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the meeting focused on key issues in the energy sector.

Later, the President’s Office reported that the first day of consultations also covered Black Sea shipping security. They discussed the security of the Black Sea ports, including three major ports in Odesa, the ports in Kherson, and smaller ones.

The second round of negotiations took place on March 25, after the Americans met with the Russians. The President’s Office noted that the topics discussed by the US and Russia required feedback from the Ukrainian delegation. Therefore, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa had another meeting with the American delegation in Riyadh.

Zelenskyy’s reaction

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed details of agreements with the US regarding the conditions of a ceasefire. According to him, the key agreement reached during the negotiations was the ban on strikes against Ukraine’s and Russia’s energy infrastructure. Kyiv provided the US with a list of strategic infrastructure sites requiring special protection.

The president stated that the American side believes that the ceasefire on energy targets should also extend to other infrastructure sites. However, this was not mentioned in the final US statement.

Regarding the timeline for the ceasefire’s implementation, Zelenskyy said he is awaiting details from Defense Minister Rustem Umerov after his return from Saudi Arabia. He noted that, during the negotiations, US representatives indicated that the implementation of decisions could be considered to have begun once the White House statement was published.

"However, we do not trust the Russians. But I believe we will act constructively, and if this is the case, we will do our job," Zelenskyy emphasized.

The Ukrainian president also stated that the parties agreed on mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the agreements. He noted that third parties, such as Türkiye or European countries, could be involved in the oversight process.

At the same time, Zelenskyy expressed his view that the US would not be able to provide full monitoring of the ceasefire immediately. However, he believes that the combined technical capabilities of Ukraine, the US, and European partners should be sufficient to oversee compliance.

"Still, there are technical aspects to consider. The Americans have a high level of technical capabilities, allowing them to monitor much of what happens at sea and in the sky. When a missile is launched, we know about it. When ballistic missiles are being prepared, American satellites and intelligence detect and track them," Zelenskyy stressed.

Additionally, during the US-Ukraine delegation meeting, discussions covered Ukraine’s response in the event of a ceasefire violation. The parties agreed that if Russia fails to comply with the ceasefire, Ukraine must present the US with relevant facts and evidence.

Zelenskyy noted that this provision was not included in the final US statement. He believes the American side avoided such details to prevent the agreements from collapsing.

Kremlin’s official statement

The US-Russia negotiations on March 24 lasted approximately 12 hours. Initially, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that no joint statement was planned, as the consultations were technical. Later, however, Russian officials claimed that the statement was not agreed upon due to Ukraine’s position.

Nevertheless, after the White House released its statement, Moscow published its own version. According to the document, provisions on Black Sea security and the resumption of Russian agricultural exports would take effect only after sanctions on Russian food producers and exporters are lifted.

Specifically, the Kremlin outlined the following demands:

• Lifting sanctions on Rosselkhozbank and other financial institutions, reconnecting them to the SWIFT system;

• Removing restrictions on food and fertilizer producers, as well as insurance companies;

• Lifting the ban on servicing Russian-flagged ships involved in food trade at ports and canceling sanctions on these vessels;

• Removing restrictions on the supply of agricultural equipment and fertilizers to Russia.

According to the Kremlin's statement, the ban on strikes against energy infrastructure is allegedly set to take effect on March 18 and is expected to last for 30 days, with the possibility of an extension.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who participated in the previous US-Russia meeting, stated that the discussions in Saudi Arabia centered on ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea. He stated that Moscow is allegedly in favor of restoring the Black Sea Initiative, but “without any ambiguities.”

“Russia wants no one to try to divert it from the grain and fertilizer market,” Lavrov explained, outlining Russia’s conditions.

Grigory Karasin, a member of the Russian delegation at yesterday’s talks, described the meeting with the Americans as intense and complex but very useful.

He noted that particular attention during the negotiations was paid to involving the international community in future discussions. According to him, the next stages of the talks will involve the UN and other countries.

How the US views the negotiations

Before the White House released its official statement, some details about the negotiations in Saudi Arabia emerged in media reports and comments from US officials.

Reuters reported that following the March 24 meeting with the Russian delegation, the US gave a positive assessment of the progress made regarding the proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.

According to a source in the White House, progress was made during the talks, and a “positive announcement” is expected “in the near future.” It is likely referring to the joint statement with Russia, which was never released.

The US State Department noted that discussions in Saudi Arabia focused on the possibility of expanding the ceasefire regime “in the Black Sea” to restore “peaceful commercial activities.”

State Department spokesperson Tammi Bruce stated that Ukraine and Russia are allegedly closer to a complete ceasefire than ever before.

It is also known that on March 25, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will discuss a ceasefire agreement in the Black Sea with his Russian counterpart. Afterward, he plans to discuss it with President Donald Trump.

Sources: The White House, statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Reuters, Fox News, Russian media, statements by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Serhiy Leshchenko.