Mon Mar 24 15:33:01 UTC 2025: ## US-Mediated Ceasefire Talks in Riyadh Continue Amidst Ongoing Attacks
**Riyadh, Saudi Arabia** – Negotiations for a partial ceasefire in the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war continued in Riyadh on Monday, March 24, 2025, with US mediation. Following separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian representatives on Sunday, US negotiators aimed to reconcile differing interpretations of a previously agreed-upon limited ceasefire. While the White House specified that “energy and infrastructure” would be protected, Russia narrowed this to “energy infrastructure,” with Ukraine also seeking protection for railways and ports. Discussions also focused on a potential pause in Black Sea attacks to safeguard commercial shipping.
Despite the ongoing talks, both sides continued military actions. Russia reported a foiled Ukrainian drone attack on an oil pumping station in southern Russia, while Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility for destroying four Russian helicopters in Belgorod with US-supplied HIMARS. Russia also launched a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, injuring 28 people including four children, and deployed 99 attack and decoy drones, 57 of which were shot down.
Russia accused Ukraine of undermining the ceasefire through attacks on energy facilities, a claim vehemently denied by Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s openness to a full 30-day ceasefire proposed by former US President Donald Trump, but criticized Russia for continuing attacks. He called on international partners to pressure Russia to stop the violence. Russia, however, has made a complete ceasefire contingent on a halt of arms supplies to Ukraine and a suspension of military mobilization – demands rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
A report suggesting China might send peacekeepers was categorically denied by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. While China continues its economic and diplomatic support for Russia, it has not provided weapons or personnel. A significant cyberattack also targeted Ukraine’s state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, disrupting its online booking system but not affecting train operations. The ongoing talks remain fragile, with the future of a lasting ceasefire uncertain amidst continued hostilities.
First Piper 