Russia Blames Ukraine for Lack of Joint Statement After US-Russia Talks in Riyadh
Russian officials claim that the U.S. and Russia were close to agreeing on a joint statement after their consultations in Riyadh, but were unable to reach an agreement due to Ukraine’s position.
The talks between the U.S. and Russia concluded on March 24, followed by separate meetings with Ukrainian officials on March 25. Vladimir Chizhov, deputy chairman of Russia’s Federation Council Security Committee, said that the Russian and U.S. delegates had agreed on a joint statement, but it was not adopted due to Ukraine’s position.
The Kyiv Independent has been unable to verify this claim, and Ukraine’s Presidential Office has not responded to a request for comment. The U.S. and Ukraine have also not commented publicly on the outcomes of the talks.
These consultations are part of a broader chain of U.S.-Russian contacts initiated by the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously said that the content of the negotiations would not be disclosed, but confirmed that the Black Sea Initiative was a key point of discussion.
The Black Sea Initiative is an agreement that allows Ukraine to export agricultural products via the Black Sea despite the ongoing war. Moscow withdrew from the deal in July 2023, leading to repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure.
The negotiations come amid concerns that Russia is deliberately stalling peace efforts to strengthen its position. The Kremlin claimed it had ordered a 30-day halt to strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure following the Trump-Putin call, but Kyiv later accused Russia of continuing attacks against civilian targets.
The U.S. and Ukraine initially supported a broader 30-day ceasefire that would include halting ground operations, but Russia rejected the proposal unless it included conditions undermining Ukraine’s defense capabilities, such as a suspension of foreign military support.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com