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On Monday, 24 March 2025, closed-door talks between US and Russian officials began in a luxury hotel in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The main goal is to move closer to a three-year ceasefire in Ukraine and possibly unblock the Black Sea for safe navigation. This meeting was a logical continuation of the talks between the Americans and the Ukrainian delegation that took place the day before, on Sunday. Reuters reported this, and we will tell you why these talks could change the course of the war.
Trump is stepping on the gas: peace or pause?
The talks in Saudi Arabia are part of an ambitious plan by US President Donald Trump, who held phone conversations with Vladimir Zelensky and Vladimir Putin last week. Trump seems determined to play the role of peacemaker, stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and paralysed the region’s economy. But will he succeed in convincing Russia and is Ukraine ready to compromise? For now, the intrigue remains.
The US delegation is led by Andrew Pick, senior director of the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior State Department official. Washington is proposing a separate ceasefire agreement in the Black Sea, which could be the first step towards a broader peace deal. Why the Black Sea? Because it is an artery for grain exports, on which the world’s food security depends.
Black Sea: grain, security and old promises
The White House stresses that the key task is to ensure free navigation in the Black Sea. Although there have been no high-profile hostilities in recent months, the region remains tense because of the war. The Kremlin, for its part, has confirmed that the so-called Black Sea Initiative, a grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export nearly 33 million tonnes of grain in 2022 despite the Russian blockade, is on the table.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We are talking about the safety of navigation, but there is a nuance. The previous agreement had obligations to Russia that were never fulfilled.” What are these obligations? Moscow complains that its food and fertiliser exports are still hampered by Western restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance. In 2023, Russia withdrew from the agreement, accusing the West of playing unfairly. Now it wants guarantees: the resumption of ammonia exports and the return of Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT system.
Intrigue behind closed doors
The talks are being held in a closed format – journalists have been asked to leave the hotel, so details are leaked only by insiders. A source close to the preparations for the meeting hinted that the US sees the Black Sea agreement as a “litmus test” – if Russia cooperates here, it could open the door to a broader peace. But Peskov cautioned: “We agree that the war must be ended, but there are still many details.”
Interestingly, in July 2022, the UN and Turkey had already helped to conclude a grain deal that was a real breakthrough. But Russia abandoned it when it saw that its own interests were being ignored. Will Trump succeed in convincing Putin to return to the negotiating table, or will it become another game of waiting for time? For now, Moscow is keeping its cards close to its chest.
What does this mean for Ukraine?
For Ukraine, the Black Sea is not only about grain, but also about economic survival. The resumption of shipping could provide a respite to its war-torn economy. But is Russia ready for real peace, or is it just a manoeuvre to regroup its forces? The question is open, and the world is holding its breath for the results from Saudi Arabia.
These negotiations are not just diplomacy, but a real thriller with high stakes. Will the Black Sea become a bridge to peace or remain a battlefield? We will find out the answer soon!
Author: Aleksandr Potetiuiev
