Riyadh, March 24, 2025: US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Monday to negotiate a Black Sea maritime ceasefire as Moscow and Kyiv continued exchanging drone strikes. The discussions, following US-Ukraine talks a day earlier, came after Russia launched a third consecutive overnight air attack on Kyiv, wounding one person and damaging homes. Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have downed 227 Ukrainian drones as fires raged at an oil depot in its Krasnodar region.
The White House stated that the talks aim to secure safe shipping routes in the Black Sea, though broader peace efforts remain uncertain. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the negotiations focused on maritime safety, as a previous 2022 Black Sea shipping deal failed to meet Moscow’s expectations.
The talks are part of US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to end the three-year conflict, following his recent calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Trump has expressed optimism, European powers remain skeptical of Putin’s willingness to make meaningful concessions. Russia insists that peace talks must include Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions and withdrawing from four Russian-occupied regions.
Meanwhile, Moscow continues to uphold a 30-day moratorium on targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, despite Kyiv’s claims of violations. Saudi state media reported that Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had arrived in Riyadh, signaling further US-Ukraine discussions following the Russia talks. The negotiations also touch on the broader line of control between Ukraine and Russia, potential peacekeeping measures, and the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia.
