Russia, U.S. wrap day-long talks on possible Black Sea ceasefire with Ukraine

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Mar 24, 2025 7:46 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

U.S. and Russian officials wrapped up day-long talks connected Monday focused connected a constrictive connection for a ceasefire astatine oversea betwixt Kyiv and Moscow, portion of a diplomatic effort that Washington hopes volition assistance pave the mode for broader bid negotiations.

Even arsenic the gathering was nether mode successful Saudi Arabia, wherever a Ukrainian delegation was contiguous connected the sidelines, a Russian rocket onslaught damaged a schoolhouse and a infirmary successful Ukraine, wounding astatine slightest 88 people.

The talks, which focused among different issues connected trying to scope a Black Sea maritime ceasefire deal, were portrayed by Washington arsenic a measurement successful U.S. President Donald Trump's effort to extremity the three-year-old war.

A White House root said advancement was being made successful the Riyadh talks and claimed a "positive announcement" was expected "in the adjacent future." 

Russia's RIA quality bureau said the Russian delegation, erstwhile asked astir their temper aft the extremity of the talks, replied: "It's good."

A Russian root told Reuters that the talks had concluded precocious connected Monday and a draught associated connection had been sent to Moscow and Washington for approval, with the parties aiming to merchandise it connected Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier that nary documents would beryllium signed, the TASS bureau reported.

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Earlier connected Monday, Trump listed different issues helium said were connected the table: "We're talking astir territory close now. We're talking astir lines of demarcation, talking astir power, powerfulness works ownership."

Last week, Russia rejected a connection by Trump for a afloat 30-day ceasefire successful Ukraine, and it has truthful acold agreed lone to a moratorium connected attacking vigor infrastructure.

Missiles onslaught Sumy

As Monday's talks were being held successful Riyadh, Russian missiles struck the metropolis of Sumy successful northeastern Ukraine. Several high-rise residential blocks were damaged on with a schoolhouse and hospital, determination politician Volodymyr Artiukh said successful a video filmed successful beforehand of a blaze producing a file of smoke.

The schoolchildren were successful a structure astatine the time, averting worse casualties, helium added.

"Moscow speaks of bid portion carrying retired brutal strikes connected densely populated residential areas successful large Ukrainian cities," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

"Instead of making hollow statements astir peace, Russia indispensable halt bombing our cities and extremity its warfare connected civilians."

The talks successful Saudi Arabia travel telephone calls past week betwixt Trump and the 2 presidents, Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin of Russia. Ukrainian officials met the Americans successful Saudi Arabia connected Sunday.

Trump, who has scaled backmost U.S. diplomatic backing for Ukraine and shifted publically to a stance acold little captious of Russia than that of his predecessor Joe Biden, says helium aims to bring a speedy extremity to the war.

Black Sea considerations

The White House says the archetypal purpose of the Saudi talks is to unafraid a maritime truce successful the Black Sea, allowing the escaped travel of shipping.

But maritime battles person been a comparatively constricted facet of the warfare since 2023, aft Ukrainian attacks drove Moscow to determination its navy acold from contested waters, making it imaginable for Ukraine to reopen ports and resume exports.

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"This is chiefly astir the information of navigation," Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, said. He said a erstwhile UN-backed statement connected Black Sea shipping had failed to present immoderate of Moscow's demands.

A root briefed connected readying for the Saudi talks said the U.S. broadside was led by Andrew Peek, a elder manager astatine the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a elder U.S. State Department official.

Russia was represented by Grigory Karasin, a erstwhile diplomat who is present seat of the Russian precocious house's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Karasin was cited by Interfax quality bureau arsenic saying during a interruption successful the talks connected Monday that they were progressing "creatively" and that the 2 sides had discussed issues regarded arsenic "irritants" successful bilateral ties.

Trump had expressed wide restitution implicit the mode talks person been going and has been complimentary astir Putin's engagement.

But large European powers uncertainty whether Putin is acceptable to marque existent concessions oregon volition instrumentality to what they spot arsenic his maximalist demands, which bash not look to person changed since helium sent troops into Ukraine successful 2022.

Putin says helium is acceptable to sermon bid but that Ukraine indispensable officially driblet its NATO ambitions and retreat its troops from the entirety of 4 Ukrainian regions that Russia has unilaterally annexed.

White House nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday that the U.S., Russian and Ukrainian delegations were assembled successful the aforesaid installation successful Riyadh.

Beyond a Black Sea ceasefire, Waltz said the teams would sermon the "line of control" betwixt the 2 armies, which helium described arsenic "verification measures, peacekeeping, freezing the lines wherever they are."