Riyadh, March 26 – A new round of talks between Ukrainian and US delegations concluded in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, local media Al Arabiya News reported. The discussions followed a 12-hour meeting on Monday between Russian and US delegations in Riyadh, according to Xinhua news agency.
Later on Tuesday, the White House released a statement outlining the key outcomes of the talks held with Ukraine between Sunday and Tuesday. The US and Ukraine agreed on measures to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, prevent the use of force, and prohibit the use of commercial vessels for military purposes.
Additionally, the US reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating the exchange of war prisoners, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. Both countries also agreed to implement a mutual ban on strikes against energy facilities in Russia and Ukraine. The statement emphasized the importance of achieving a durable peace and called for an end to the ongoing violence. The US also expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting and facilitating the discussions.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov later shared details of the talks on social media platform X. He warned that under the agreement with the US, any movement of Russian military vessels outside the eastern Black Sea would violate the commitment to safe navigation and pose a security threat to Ukraine. In response, Ukraine reserves the right to self-defence.
Umerov also noted that all parties welcomed third-country support for implementing the energy and maritime agreements reached in the talks. He stressed the need for additional technical consultations to ensure the effective execution of the arrangements.