Moscow blames Ukraine for lack of joint statement after US-Russia talks in Riyadh
The U.S.-Russia consultations in Riyadh were not followed by a joint statement because of Ukraine's position, Vladimir Chizhov, deputy chairman of Russia's Federation Council Security Committee, claimed on March 25, Interfax reported.
The U.S.-Russia talks concluded on March 24 after 12 hours, followed by a separate but shorter round of U.S.-Ukraine talks in Riyadh on March 25.
"They (U.S. and Russian delegates) sat for 12 hours and seemed to agree on a joint statement, which, however, was not adopted because of Ukraine's position. This is also very typical and symptomatic," Chizhov claimed, as reported by Interfax.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims, and Ukraine's Presidential Office has not responded to a request for comment. The U.S. and Ukraine have not publicly commented on the outcomes of the latest rounds of talks this week.
Chizhov described the Riyadh meeting as 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 U.S.-Russia negotiations would not be disclosed.
Peskov also confirmed that the Black Sea Initiative was a key point of the discussion. A similar arrangement previously existed under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a 2022 deal brokered by the U.N. and Turkey that allowed 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.
Martin Fornusek
