NewsRussia-US talks falter amid Ukraine's Black Sea stalemate

Russia-US talks falter amid Ukraine's Black Sea stalemate

Russia and the United States did not adopt a joint statement after Monday's talks in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing Russian parliamentarian Vladimir Chizhov.

Negotiations between Russia and the USA on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP) Evelyn Hockstein
Negotiations between Russia and the USA on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP) Evelyn Hockstein
Images source: © East News | Evelyn Hockstein
Przemysław Ciszak

Representatives from Russia and the United States discussed a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea throughout Monday.

Accusing Ukraine

Chizhov blamed Ukraine for the failure to adopt a joint statement. "The fact that they sat for 12 hours and seemed to agree on a joint statement, which however was not adopted due to Ukraine’s position, is also very characteristic and symptomatic," the parliamentarian stated on the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the content of Monday's talks will not be disclosed. "You see, we are talking about technical negotiations that go deep into details. Therefore, of course, the content of these negotiations will definitely not be published. This should not be expected," he said.

Russia is troubled by Ukraine's advantage at sea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed on Tuesday that the Kremlin demands that the US "order" Ukraine to reach an agreement on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. According to him, Moscow also demanded the lifting of restrictions limiting the trade of Russian grain and fertilizers.

The export of Russian grain and fertilizers is not subject to Western sanctions, but barriers are posed by restrictions on payments, logistics, and insurance, Reuters emphasized.

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