Russia, U.S. didn't adopt joint statement after Saudi talks due to Kyiv's stance: Interfax

Russia and the United States did not adopt a joint statement after 12 hours of talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday due to Ukraine's position, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, citing a senior Russian senator.

Interfax cited Vladimir Chizhov, a senior Russian senator, as telling state TV channel Rossiya-24, "The fact that they sat for 12 hours and apparently agreed on a joint statement, which was not adopted though because of Ukraine's position, is very typical and symptomatic."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters more than an hour after the statement had been expected, however, that Russian officials were still analyzing the information.

"The content of the technical negotiations will definitely not be 'published.' This should not be expected," he said. "The reports made in the capital [by Russia's negotiators to the government] are being analyzed, and only then will it be possible to talk about some understandings," Peskov told reporters, adding that the dialogue between Russian and American officials would continue.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that they were willing to strike a new agreement on the safety of shipping in the Black Sea but only if the United States "ordered" Ukrainaian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to respect it.

According to Lavrov, only such an order would provide the assurances that Russia needed.

While the details of the expected statement were not clear, sources cited by the CBS News indicated that the reports from the U.S. technical team in Riyadh, shared with the Trump administration, appeared optimistic.

No American official has responded to the matter yet.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover:  A Russian "Grad" self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine, March 20, 2025. /CFP)