U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia fail to yield joint statement
The United States and Russia did not issue a joint statement following their March 24 negotiations in Riyadh, according to Vladimir Chizhov, Deputy Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of Russia's Federation Council. The talks, which extended over 12 hours, reportedly reached a tentative agreement but ultimately did not result in a sign-off.
Chizhov revealed the details during an appearance on the "Russia 24" television channel, as reported on March 25 by Russian media outlet Glavny Regionalny . He characterized the Riyadh meeting as part of a broader communication series initiated by a phone call between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
"They were seated for 12 hours, and seemingly concurred on a joint statement, which wasn’t adopted in the end because of Ukraine’s position—an aspect that is both telling and symptomatic," stated Chizhov. At the time of reporting, no official statements had been released by US or Ukrainian officials regarding the negotiations' outcomes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the main topics of the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia were a ceasefire and safe navigation in the Black Sea. He claims that Moscow supports reviving the Black Sea initiative, but "in a more acceptable form for everyone" and "without ambiguities." "Russia is concerned about the food security of African countries, the global South, and East, which suffer from the West’s games," Lavrov said.
The meeting between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia on March 24 was conducted behind closed doors, with media access restricted. American reports suggested the agenda included discussing a "control line" between the nations and "confidence-building measures," such as the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. The White House has expressed interest in reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Black Sea to ensure free navigation.
Reuters, referencing sources within President Trump’s administration on March 25, reported that the White House announced a positive outlook following the talks with the Russian delegation in Riyadh.