Optimistic signals after 12 hours of US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia

US and Russian officials have concluded 12 hours of talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh aimed at securing a partial ceasefire in Ukraine.

The talks focused on a narrow proposal involving only a maritime ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, part of a diplomatic push that the United States hopes will pave the way for broader peace talks, Reuters reported.

US and Russian officials attend talks at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 18, 2025.

The talks focused on trying to reach a ceasefire in the Black Sea, and were seen by Washington as a step forward in US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the three-year war.

A White House source expressed optimism about the talks in Saudi Arabia. "The negotiations being facilitated by the Trump administration's technical teams in Riyadh are going extremely well, with all parties involved working day and night. We hope to have a positive announcement in the near future," the White House source said.

Meanwhile, RIA news agency reported that when asked about their mood after the end of the negotiations, the Russian delegation only replied briefly: "Good".

A Russian source told Reuters that the talks ended late on March 24 and a draft joint statement had been sent to Moscow and Washington for approval. The joint statement is expected to be released on March 25.

Trump says Ukraine-Russia are negotiating territory division, ceasefire imminent

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that no document would be signed, according to TASS news agency.

In an interview with reporters on March 24, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia still maintains the ceasefire order against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, despite Kyiv's continued attacks on Moscow's energy targets. Meanwhile, Ukraine still accuses Russia of violating the ceasefire order against energy facilities and believes that an official document on the issue needs to be signed.

Russia agreed on March 18 to temporarily halt attacks on Ukrainian energy targets for a month, on condition that Kyiv does not continue to mobilize troops and rearm.

In another development, President Trump said on March 24 that he hoped a revenue-sharing agreement between the United States and Ukraine on the exploitation of Kyiv’s vital minerals would be signed soon. Trump also revealed that the United States was discussing the possibility of American companies owning power plants in Ukraine.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tin-hieu-lac-quan-sau-12-gio-dam-phan-cua-my-nga-tai-a-rap-xe-ut-185250325093240986.htm