Russia Claims Ukraine’s Position Allegedly Prevents Joint US-Russia Statement

In a 12-hour meeting in Riyadh, US and Russian officials were unable to issue a joint statement on March 24 due to disagreements reportedly attributed to Ukraine’s position.

According to Russian Deputy Defense Committee Chairman Vladimir Chizhov, despite seemingly reaching an agreement, the statement was not adopted, which Chizhov described as “very characteristic.”

The meeting, described as “intense but very useful” by a Russian negotiator, took place as separate ceasefire negotiations between the US and Ukraine continued.

In corresponding news, US President Donald Trump announced on March 24 that an agreement on rare earth metals with Ukraine has been reached and will soon be signed.

The deal, which was discussed in relation to territory, follows reports of ongoing negotiations for the US to strike a deal with Ukraine over its critical minerals and energy assets as part of broader ceasefire talks with Russia.

Earlier, the White House announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs starting April 2, with Russia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Vietnam potentially targeted, though their scope may be narrower than expected.