March 27, 2025 – US and Ukrainian officials concluded "productive and focused" talks in Saudi
Arabia on de-escalating the war with Russia, with Moscow set for separate discussions with the Americans on Monday.
US President Donald Trump is pushing for a swift end to the three-year conflict, though the Kremlin warned of "difficult negotiations" ahead. Despite differing ceasefire proposals, hostilities have continued.
Originally planned as shuttle diplomacy, the technical-level talks on a partial truce are now taking place sequentially. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that the Sunday discussions with the US addressed key issues, including energy security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the need to pressure Russia into halting strikes, while Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism about progress, particularly regarding a Black Sea ceasefire.
Russian officials tempered expectations, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that negotiations were just beginning and that a ceasefire's implementation remained a complex issue. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a US-Ukrainian proposal for a 30-day pause, suggesting instead a halt only on attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
Moscow's primary focus in Monday’s talks with the US will be reviving the 2022 Black Sea grain deal, which Russia withdrew from in 2023, citing unmet commitments from the West.
On the eve of the negotiations, both sides launched drone strikes, with fatalities reported in Kyiv and Russia's border regions. Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed a rare battlefield victory in the eastern Lugansk region.
As Moscow enters the Saudi talks, it does so with renewed confidence following a diplomatic thaw with Washington under Trump, with Kremlin officials highlighting the potential for "mutually beneficial cooperation" between the two nations.