UK urges Putin to agree to ceasefire "without further delay"

The United Kingdom has urged Moscow to agree to an unconditional ceasefire with Ukraine without delay amid talks in Riyadh between Ukraine, Russia and the United States on a truce in the Black Sea and the abandonment of attacks on energy facilities.

The UK Foreign Office noted it was "in close contact with US and Ukraine following the conclusion of talks in Riyadh".

"President Zelenskyy has already shown Ukraine is the party of peace by proposing a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. We hope that President Putin will agree to this without further delay," the UK Foreign Office said.

London also thanked the US for its efforts and added that it is "continuing to work closely with international partners towards a lasting and durable peace".

According to Russian propaganda media outlets, the meeting between the US and Russian delegations lasted 12 hours with breaks.

The Kremlin stated that the primary focus of the discussions with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia was the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, from which Russia withdrew in 2023.

On Tuesday 25 March, a new meeting between the Ukrainian and American teams took place in Saudi Arabia to discuss the truce between Kyiv and Moscow.

Following negotiations in Saudi Arabia from 23 to 25 March, delegations from the US, Ukraine and Russia agreed to work towards a truce in the Black Sea and a ban on strikes against energy infrastructure.

US President Donald Trump suggested that Putin and the Russians might be "dragging their feet" on the issue of a truce agreement with Ukraine.