Work on a new round of EU sanctions against Russia has started and is “at a very early stage,” one of the sources told EUobserver. The European Commission is expected to present its proposals in early summer, another diplomat told the media outlet.
"The Russian side reserves the right, in case the Kyiv regime does not comply with this moratorium, of course, not to comply with it either," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"I can't imagine any situation in which Germany would not be participating in whatever would be the result of negotiations of a ceasefire or even a peace," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on March 27.
Key developments on March 27: * Russia preparing for new spring offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Zelensky says * ‘With or without the US’ — France, UK harden line over Ukraine at ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit * North Korea sent 3,000 more troops to Russia to offset Ukraine war losses, South
"The city of Kherson is a civilian city, it is not a battlefield. I believe that there should be a reaction from the United States, in actions," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 27.
Kyiv believes that the Black Sea ceasefire applies to civilian shipping and Ukrainian ports, and does not apply to Russian warships, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's stated goal of bringing a swift end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is looking evermore distant, with only two tentative partial ceasefires to show after several rounds of talks. Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March
"I can confirm that since this date, March 25... There have been no attacks on energy objects. Neither Russian attacks on our energy objects, or our attacks on Russian energy objects," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told the Kyiv Independent at a press briefing.
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, some of the sanctions Russia wants lifted "are not ours — they belong to the European Union."
"It somehow disappeared from the media field. Although I think that this is the number one thing we were going for. This is an exchange for the return of our children, whom the Russians stole."
After three days of separate intensive discussions with the United States, Russia and Ukraine left the latest round of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia with agreements to declare a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea and to halt strikes against energy facilities. While lauded by the White House as progress
CIA Director John Ratcliffe on March 25 gave a rousing assessment of Kyiv's desire to achieve an acceptable and lasting peace in Ukraine, insisting its people and armed forces would fight Russia with "their bare hands" if they had to. "I want to say that with regard to the Ukrainian
Key developments on March 26: * Russia has struck Ukraine's energy sites 8 times since March 18, Zelensky's advisor says * Ukraine's list of energy facilities banned from attacks differs from Russian version, Energy Ministry says * Ukraine-US relations 'back on track,' Zelensky's chief of staff says * Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine condition
The White House on March 25 announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to "eliminate the use of force" in the Black Sea, returning the spotlight to a theater of battle that has been relatively quiet for more than a year. Throughout 2022 and 2023, Ukrainian strikes against Russian ships,
Ukrainian oil and gas production facilities — which, according to the Energy Ministry have suffered the most Russian attacks as of late — weren't on Kremlin's list, the Energy Ministry told European Pravda.
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with Marty Latz, an expert negotiator who has spent decades examining the techniques U.S. President Donald Trump has used to make deals, to discuss Trump's negotiation techniques as he tries to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. are "back on track," Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak said in an interview with Reuters published on March 26, almost a month after the Oval Office clash between the Ukrainian and American presidents.
"It should be highlighted that the military department of the aggressor country is spreading false and groundless accusations in order to prolong the war, continue false propaganda and typical Russian attempts to deceive the world," Ukraine's General Staff said.
"Last night, there were another 117 proofs in our skies of how Russia continues to drag out this war – 117 strike drones, most of them Shaheds," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine has recorded eight confirmed hits against its energy facilities by Russian forces since March 18, when the Kremlin claimed to have ordered a pause on such attacks, presidential advisor Dmytro Lytvyn said on March 25.
Asked by a reporter whether he believes Russia "wants to see an end" to the full-scale war, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "I don't know. I mean, I'll let you know at a certain point. But I think that Russia wants to see an end to it, but it could be they're dragging their feet."
Ukraine and Russia may see a greater incentive to prolong war instead of settling for an unfavourable peace deal, an unclassified U.S. intelligence assessment published March 25 found.
"We see how the Russians have already started to manipulate. They are already trying to distort the agreements and actually deceive our mediators and the whole world," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 25.
The United States is "looking at" lifting additional sanctions on Russia in order to secure a Black Sea ceasefire agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 25.
While the White House celebrates a ceasefire in the Black Sea after a 12-hour meeting in Riyadh, in Ukraine, the enthusiasm is muted. The agreement is missing crucial securities that Ukraine urgently needs, including protecting its ports from Russian attacks as well as opening up the blockaded Mykolaiv port. The
Key developments on March 25: * Black Sea ceasefire will take effect after some sanctions are lifted, Kremlin claims * Kremlin names energy facilities exempt from strikes during partial ceasefire * Ukrainian airstrike kills up to 30 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast, military claims * Russia seeks full control of partially occupied Ukrainian regions
According to the Kremlin, the list includes oil refineries, as well as oil and gas pipelines and storage facilities, including pumping stations.
"We believe that, after Washington makes two official statements... the ceasefire in the sea and the energy ceasefire must come into effect, in (the Americans') opinion," Zelensky said. "Undoubtedly this depends on orders given by the presidents to their military forces."
The Kremlin said that the Black Sea ceasefire would come into effect after the West lifts the sanctions against Russia's Rosselkhozbank and other financial organizations involved in supporting international food trade operations and restores their connection to the SWIFT messaging system.
"All parties agreed to implement the presidential agreement on a complete ban on strikes on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
"They 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," Vladimir Chizhov, deputy chairman of the Federation Council Security Committee claimed.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is scheduled discuss a possible ceasefire deal in the Black Sea with his Russian counterpart later on March 25, Fox News reported.
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